"But instead of welcoming him, they ignored him.
It was as if they didn't even see him.
His boy would never treat him like that.
His boy would ...
he couldn't quite put a paw on it.'
When Nubby, a toy rabbit, gets tired of what he sees as being mistreated, he makes the decision to leave the home he is living in and see what the rest of the world looks like. Having never been away from his family and not really knowing what to expect, Nubby is 'saved' by his family's dog.
It isn't long until the dog finds another target for his shenanigans. A meeting with the neighborhood's wild rabbits has the dog off chasing one of them, after dropping Nubby in their midst. Nubby is certain that he has found new friends. Much to his dismay, they ignore his presence totally. It isn't long until another opportunity presents itself - well, herself!
A girl who fancies herself a magician comes through the gate with plans to make Nubby the star of her magic show. Alas, it is not to be. Nubby is left behind once more. No matter what goes on in the park that surrounds him, no one notices Nubby there. The dog returns, leading to a further adventure and eventual disappointment when Nubby is left in a dirt pile after the dog abandons him in favor of a bone.
"Nubby lay staring up at the sky.
The pain in his chest cut deep,
deeper than torn cloth
and strewn stuffing.
It went all the way
to the very fabric of his soul."
He misses his boy; despite the many messes and bad experiences he remembers. He wants to be home again. In a surprise twist, he finds his way back. Once there, his treatment is more of the same; this time he pays more attention to the love that is part of it.
"And that made all the difference."
Shanda McCloskey's illustrations, created using pencil, Procreate, watercolor, and Photoshop, add a large dose of humor for young readers. Artwork shows readers (in front and back endpapers) the cul-de-sac that limits Nubby's far-reaching adventures, and offers a map of his movement as the story progresses. It is this combination of text and art working hand in hand to tell two different versions of the same story that makes it such a delight for those who share it.
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