Dr. Donna's Review
Themes & Other Things
Easter in Bunnyland is a story that will appeal to kids from three to eight, though the youngest children may need some help from you to follow all the plot twists.
1. The story is about accepting responsibility. Flip has a reputation for being irresponsible. When the Easter Bunny selects Flip to plant the seeds that will grow into Easter egg trees, everyone in Bunnyland is shocked. They’re convinced that he will fail and everyone will be disappointed on Easter. Flip decides to prove that he can do it and, in spite of many temptations, flip succeeds.
2. A second important theme is about living with the expectations that others have of us. Flip is faced with an important challenge, but he is also faced with the fact that everyone in town thinks that he will fail. Flip has two battles to fight.
3. Another important theme is about spreading rumors through misinformation. Emily Fieldmouse overhears part of a conversation between Buck and Betsy Rabbit. Based on what she hears, Emily concludes that Buck and Betsy are planning to steal the Easter eggs. When the eggs are missing, Emily tells everyone that Buck and Betsy have stolen them. Of course, Emily never checks her story and she is spreading a lie.
4. Finally, the story deals with working together. The only way that Flip, Buck and Betsy can find the missing eggs, overcome Joe the Crow and rescue the Easter Bunny, is by working together as a team.
Talking Points
- Ask your kids about Flip. What kind of a character is he? Who is Flip’s best friend? How do you know that Flip and Buck are best friends? Why does everyone call Flip irresponsible? What kinds of things does he do that convince people that he’s irresponsible?
- Who are Bo and JJ? Are they nice characters or not so nice characters? How do you know? What kinds of things did they do that tell you what kind of characters they are?
- How did everyone in Bunnyland feel about Flip being given the job of planting the seeds of the Easter egg trees? How did Flip feel when everyone said he couldn’t do the job? Was it hard for him to prove himself when everyone expected him to fail?
- Emily Fieldmouse hid in the bushes and overheard Betsy and Buck talking. She heard Betsy say the words “steal the Easter eggs.” Did Betsy say that she and Buck were going to steal the eggs? When it was discovered that the eggs were missing, Emily Fieldmouse accused Betsy and Buck of stealing them. Who really stole the Easter eggs? What should Emily Fieldmouse have done instead of accusing Betsy and Buck of stealing?
- Flip, Buck and Betsy decided to rescue the Easter Bunny and get the Easter eggs back from Bo and JJ. To do that they had to go to Bo and JJ’s scary cave and get inside. They figured out a clever plan to get rid of Joe the Crow and Bo and JJ. What did they do? Could one bunny alone have accomplished the job? (No, it worked because they worked together.)
Activity Ideas
Draw a tree and have children add drawings of Easter eggs like the tree in the movie.
Help them make up a new story about Flip, Buck, Betsy and the other characters from Bunnyland. Write out the story and have your son or daughter do the illustrations.
Have children draw pictures of their favorite characters from Easter in Bunnyland. Help them write the names of the characters on the pictures. Post the pictures where everyone can see them.
Ask you kids to tell you what they like best about Easter. Make a poster entitled “What I like about Easter” and capture the child’s ideas on the poster.
Book Suggestions
These books are great to read to your kids about the themes from the movie:
Bunny Trouble. Written and Illustrated by Hans Wilhelm
Easter Bunny’s Amazing Egg Machine. Written by Wendy Cheyette Lewison. Illustrated by Normand Chartier
Home for a Bunny. Written by Margaret Wise Brown. Illustrated by Garth Williams
The Best Thing About Easter. Written and illustrated by Christin Harder Tangvald