Bunnicula: A Rabbit-Tale of Mystery

This article is about the first book in the series. For the series, see Bunnicula.
Bunnicula: A Rabbit-Tale of Mystery
AuthorDeborah Howe and James Howe
IllustratorAlan Daniel[1]
SeriesBunnicula
GenreChildren's novels, humor, mystery, vampire fiction[1]
PublisherAtheneum Books
Publication date
April 1979[2]
Publication placeUnited States
Media typePrint (hardcover)
Pages98 pp. (first edition)[1]
ISBN9780689307003
OCLC680102206
LC ClassPZ7.H836 Bu 1979[1]

Bunnicula: A Rabbit-Tale of Mystery is a children's novel written by Deborah Howe and James Howe, illustrated by Alan Daniel, and published by Atheneum Books in 1979.[1] It inaugurated the Bunnicula series.[2] Based on a 2007 online poll, the National Education Association listed the novel as one of the "Teachers' Top 100 Books for Children".[3] The series chronicles the adventures of the Monroe family and their pets, Harold the dog, Chester the cat, and Bunnicula the rabbit. The novels are narrated by Harold the family dog.

Deborah Howe died in June 1978,[4] about ten months before the book was released, and James Howe wrote the sequels alone.[2] It has been reissued numerous times, perhaps all with the original illustrations by Alan Daniel.[5]

According to publisher Simon & Schuster sometime before 2002, James Howe dreamed up "a vampire rabbit named Bunnicula" in the mid-1970s and he thinks he was inspired by "movie versions of Dracula". Deborah suggested that he writes a children's book.[6]

  1. ^ a b c d e Cite error: The named reference LCC1 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  2. ^ a b c Cite error: The named reference isfdb was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  3. ^ "Teachers' Top 100 Books for Children". National Education Association. 2007. Retrieved August 19, 2012.
  4. ^ "A hospital library for children". The New York Times. 1983-11-06. Retrieved 2020-06-11.
  5. ^ Cite error: The named reference worldcat was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  6. ^ Cite error: The named reference S&S was invoked but never defined (see the help page).