Mr. Bunny's Chocolate Factory

Title: Mr Bunny’s Chocolate Factory

Author: Elys Dolan
Publisher:  Oxford University Press
Published: 2017
Format: Paperback
Source: My own copy

 I've had a great Easter so far, going on Easter egg hunts (you are never too old) and eating the chocolate that I find. This celebration has now passed and the chocolate is almost gone. However, unlike any chocolate Easter egg, this treat of a book will last the whole year round and can be consumed again and again.

At the centre of the story is the chocolate factory owned by Mr Bunny, who runs his business with an iron fist. The hens that are employed by him and Edgar, the unicorn that works on quality control, are ordered to overwork in order to produce the Easter treats on time, with work conditions worsening and getting more hectic throughout the book, until finally, the chickens have had enough and Mr Bunny is forced to change his ways and become a better employer. This is a humorous and energetic tale and the brightly-coloured and expressive illustrations by its writer and illustrator Elys Dolan, along with the speech bubbles used to tell the story, are sure to entertain the reader over and over again.  As a bonus, there is a side-tale about the plight of Debbie, a newcomer hen, who goes missing on her first day at work, and the hens who are desperate to find her whilst they fight for better conditions in the workplace.

This story made me laugh out loud when I read it and still puts a smile on my face every time I revisit it. Fans of Elys’s previous books, including her debut masterpiece Weasels, will be delighted that she has produced yet another brilliant book. This is a lively and hilarious tale that will appeal to both children and their parents alike and the ideal book to read not only at Easter time, but throughout the whole year.