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Reviews: Doctor Goldbunny

A Story for All Ages

What would the world be like if animals and humans could speak the same language? With a stroke of her pen, author Valerie Haynes has made this possible. Set initially in the Georgetown area of Washington, D.C., the talking rabbit, Leopard Goldbunny, is seen mostly as a curiosity. Yet his aspirations to become a medical doctor for humans, not just animals, is encouraged by a kindly physician, and he does complete medical school--only to be told by the powers that be (in this book often doers of evil) that a rabbit could never qualify to be a human doctor.
     Undeterred, our hero sets out to prove he is qualified, and embarks on adventures that take him from Mt. Ararat to the Arctic, accompanied by 100 orphaned rabbits that he has somehow become responsible for. Their mission is to find the "mother herb" that could heal a dear friend, a young girl suffering from a so-far incurable disease. They have many remarkable adventures and acquire new friends along the way.
     Part of the charm of the book is the way each character is drawn with loving attention. Each bunny has its own personality and physical characteristics, and is given a special name to suit.
     The book could make a hilarious movie, with Cat, who morphs into many different characters as needed to survive and probably has borderline personality disorder, and an Ark--yes, the original one-- full of young animals rescued from those evil mass hunters with helicopters and huge fishing nets who want to kill them all. The book is quite a ride, and I look forward to the second part of this trilogy, when hopefully Dr. Goldbunny will be recognized for the amazing healer he is.
                     Ellen Harvey Showell, Author, The Ghost of Tillie Jean Cassaway

All Living Things Deserve Respect
 
This simple message is at the heart of Valerie Haynes modern fable, Dr. Goldbunny. As the author has said in her Acknowledgements, she has been inspired by many healers through the ages. She has managed to weave her research and concerns for our world into a dramatic tale with many adventures such as when Dr. Goldbunny manages to arrange a flight along with one hundred orphaned bunnies from Washington, D.C. to Mt. Ararat to search for the mother herb to heal Flora, a young girl who will soon die without it. Haynes has a Dickensian attraction in making up humorous names for many of her characters that capture the essence of their personalities such as Nurse Marshmallow and General Undowar. One of my favorite scenes was when the General agreed to fly Dr. Goldbunny to Mt. Ararat in his newest experimental aircraft: a VLDPQREBFUDCPVTOL which means Very-Long-Distance, Purring-Quiet, Radar-Evading, Backwards-Forward-Upside-Down, Crash-Proof, Vertical-Take-Off-and-Landing jet. But then when it comes time for the General to drop his passengers off, he can’t find the basic controls needed so that they all have parachute their way to the ground. These kinds of language-shenanigans and wild twists in the plot will appeal to readers of all ages.

                                                       Ginnah Howard, Author, Night Navigation
An escape from reality....or not?

This was a fun read that never veered from its message. This story focused around a bunny trying to make it in a world where no bunny has gone before. There is evidence of success, betrayal, and the cruelties of society. It includes many reminders of the damage caused by humans, and yet, somehow, it's packaged into a cute and enjoyable story making the reader feel good while cheering on the special Dr. Goldbunny throughout his journey. I couldn't wait for what would come next!
                                                                                             Penny Haynes, Ed.D.
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