It looked like a teddy bear, but for reasons that Billy’s mother could not explain, she had also given it long ears that were vaguely rabbit-like. Billy finds a whole junkyard full of living discarded objects (see Down in the Dumps), Ollie meets a sentient tin can after escaping from Zozo, and in the old amusement park, Billy finds the horses of the merry-go-round are alive. Like Joyce's guardian books that are in the 6-8 year old range, this one felt drawn out without a fluidity in the narrative.

Launching the Guardians series, a chapter book counterpart to Joyce's Guardians of Childhood picture book series, this beguiling clash of good vs. The 103 third parties who use cookies on this service do so for their purposes of displaying and measuring personalized ads, generating audience insights, and developing and improving products.

But maybe you'll be able to like this book for what it is, because despite the hollywoodish plotline and all the action for the sake of action and slapstick and lazy tropes (these things bore me more than they probably should, maybe it's because I read more children's books than I probably should) it's a very lovely story with a lovely message and lovely illustrations and lovely quotes. While undoubtedly inspired by many classics of the genre (like The Velveteen Rabbit or The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane, or the comic The Stuff of Legend, Omnibus One amongst others), this book manages to both revere that comparison, while at the same time breaking free to tell it's own story.

He was shuffled from room to room through the maze of hallways that made up the hospital where he was born. Meanwhile, he slowly rediscovers his own fond memories with Billy and his family alongside their misfortunes and sorrows. Ollie, a stuffed bear with bunny ears, is one brave, loving, special little toy and, more importantly, he's Billy's favorite - the highest honor in the toys' world. As e-books put pressure on the printed word, picture books that romanticize books proliferate (The Lonely Book, It’s a Book, and Dog Loves Books come to mind).On the soundtrack, the Norwegian band, Hayde Bluegrass Orchestra, performed the cover of the Everly Brothers' version of All I Have to Do is Dream. They were afraid in a way they had not felt since they were small children, since before they had learned the words to describe their feelings. The themes of love, loyalty, bravery, and remembering were inspiring, especially because of the age of the characters.