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Rabbit and Bear: Rabbit's Bad Habits

Book 1

Julian Gough, Author

Jim Field, Illustrator

Series: Rabbit and Bear

Imprint: Hodder Children's Books

Publication date: September 8, 2016

Category: Animal stories (Children's / Teenage)

ISBN: 9781444921687

Gorgeously illustrated and with a classic feel, this is a brilliantly funny story of a rabbit and a bear who discover that things are always better when they’re shared with a friend. Ideal for readers moving on from picture books.

‘A perfect animal double-act.’ (The Times, Book of the Week)

Bear wakes up early from hibernation. If she can’t sleep, then at least she can make a snowman. Rabbit has never made a snowman, but he definitely wants to make one that’s better than Bear’s.

But with an avalanche and a hungry wolf heading his way, Rabbit soon realises that it might be nice to have a friend on his side.

From novelist and playwright Julian Gough, and the winner of the Roald Dahl Funny Prize, Jim Field, this is a tale of friendship, gravity, and just a little bit of poo.

‘Rabbit’s Bad Habits is a breath of fresh air in children’s fiction, a laugh-out-loud story of rabbit and wolf and bear, of avalanches and snowmen. The sort of story that makes you want to send your children to bed early, so you can read it to them.’ Neil Gaiman

*Shortlisted for the Children’s Book of the Year in the Irish Book Awards*

Read all the Rabbit and Bear books:
1. Rabbit’s Bad Habits
2. The Pest in the Nest
3. Attack of the Snack
4. A Bite in the Night
5. A Bad King is a Sad Thing
6. This Lake is Fake!

Reviews

A delight, with super illustrations and a lovely story about friendship

Independent on Sunday

With wonderful landscapes and characterisation by Jim Field, this book is highly recommended and will still delight after many readings

Inis

A healthy dose of quirky humour

Irish Times

Julian Gough's text is quirky and lively with a distinctive style, and Jim Field's illustrations are a joy

Awfully Big Reviews

These 100-page, fully illustrated stories will be as popular with bedtime-story-reading grown-ups as they are with newly confident readers. We love the funny illustrations, the cheeky humour and the underlying messages about friendship and life.

The School Run

A laugh out loud story with just a hint of poo.

Charlie Byrne's Bookshop

A charming, wonderful and eccentric story

Sschambe Blog

It's an exhilarating, very quietly educational, and - most of all - riotously funny read.

Waterstones, Leilah Skelton

This is a superb book and the real joy to me is in the conversations (sometimes quite philosophical) between Rabbit and Bear.

Parents In Touch

It's beautifully illustrated and is a super story, with cheeky one-liners, that is ideal to share on cold winter evenings

Manchester Evening News

A great book that will become a classic

London Mums Magazine

What a treat this little book is! Not only does it have a funny and warm story that is full of heart, it is also gorgeously presented with spot-colour illustrations by Jim Field...Lots of fun, highly recommended.

Reading Zone

A laugh-out-loud celebration of friendship, forest life...and poo

Metro

Has a cheeky charm that will thrill younger readers

The Guardian

Rabbit's Bad Habits should become an instant modern classic. Stands shoulder to shoulder with Pooh and Toad. Cheeky, delightful and hilarious.

Eoin Colfer

A perfect animal double-act enchants.

The Times

Sure to become a firm favourite

The Bookbag

Julian Gough

Julian Gough is the author of several novels, a children’s book, some BBC radio plays, and the narrative at the end of the wonderful computer game, Minecraft (TIME magazine’s computer game of the year). His first children’s book, Rabbit’s Bad Habits, published in 2016, has been widely critically-acclaimed; Neil Gaiman called ‘a laugh-out-loud story’, and Eoin Colfer called ‘an instant modern classic’. Julian has won the BBC National Short Story Award and has been shortlisted for the Bollinger Everyman Wodehouse Prize for Comic Fiction. He also, in his youth, wrote the words (and sang) on four albums by the cult Galway group, Toasted Heretic, and had a top-ten hit in Ireland with ‘Galway and Los Angeles’, a song about not kissing Sinead O’Connor. He was born in London, raised in Tipperary, educated in Galway and now lives in Berlin.

Jim Field

Jim Field is an award-winning illustrator, character designer and animation director. He has illustrated many bestselling children’s books, including Oi Frog! (written by Kes Gray) and The Lion Inside (written by Rachel Bright). Jim is also the illustrator of the Rabbit and Bear series, J.K. Rowling’s The Christmas Pig and his debut author-illustrator bilingual picture book, Monsieur Roscoe on Holiday. He lives near Paris with his wife and daughter.