PPBF – Hope is a Hop

As spring blossoms in the northern hemisphere and new life emerges, I think today’s Perfect Picture Book is a wonderful way to celebrate.

Title: Hope is a Hop

Written By: Katrina Moore

Illustrated By: Melissa Iwai

Publisher/Date: Dial Books for Young Readers/2023

Suitable for Ages: 4-8

Themes/Topics: gardening, baby bunnies, new baby, rhyming, spring, hope

Opening:

Hope is a light you turn on in the dark,

An up before sunrise—start of a spark.

Brief Synopsis: After young Eva plants a flower garden, a pesky rabbit destroys it. But when Eva discovers why the rabbit invaded her garden, she has a change of heart.

Links to Resources:

• Explore these gardening activities;
• Learn about rabbits.

Why I Like this Book:

In rhyming couplets, Moore explores the many meanings of “hope” from the perspective of Eva, a budding gardener. I love Eva’s enthusiasm to be outdoors and to create a flower garden. And I understand her frustration when a hungry bunny dashes her hopes. But Eva pivots and finds joy, and new hope, in the discovery of baby rabbits, and she is reinvigorated to replant her garden.

With its flower-filled illustrations and hope-filled rhyming narrative, Hope is a Hop is a perfect book to share with young nature lovers. And while I don’t want to spoil the ending, it’s the perfect gift for a soon-to-be older sibling.

A Note about Craft:

In an interview in Picture Book Builders, Moore shared that the genesis of Hope is a Hop was the discovery of a nest of baby bunnies during the height of the pandemic, a time during which many of us had lost hope. From that discovery sprouted this many-layered, hope-filled picture book.

This Perfect Picture Book entry is being added to Susanna Hill’s Perfect Picture Book list. Check out the other great picture books featured there!