Please Don’t Tell Cooper That Jack is a Rabbit

Although Cooper the Dog has mellowed and civilized somewhat since the events depicted in Please Don’t Tell Cooper He’s a Dog, the first book in Michelle Lander Feinberg’s series about the contrary canine, he still has one major weakness to overcome: if he sees a rabbit, he must absolutely, positively chase after it. It is this tendency to give pursuit to fuzzy critters, all in the interests of friendship you understand, that ignites his most recent adventure, Please Don’t Tell Cooper That Jack is a Rabbit.

It all starts when Cooper’s uncle decides to take him out into the garden but forgets to put a leash on him first. Of course, as soon as Cooper spots a rabbit playing nearby, he hurdles the fence, bolts after the rabbit, and launches a chase that sees the pair of them tearing about all over town, becoming embroiled in all sorts of mischief, and encountering a host of interested and amused bystanders.

While Cooper doesn’t manage to catch the rabbit per se, the two of them end up having so much fun chasing around town causing chaos that they end up collapsing together in laughter. Once properly introduced to Jack the Rabbit, Cooper realizes that his new friend is in the same situation he used to be in: he needs a warm, welcoming home. Cooper takes Jack home with him and his family agrees that the rabbit can stay with them too. This gives Cooper and Jack plenty of time to embark upon further adventures, whether hanging out in bookshops, playing golf, forming a band, or much more besides.

Please Don’t Tell Cooper That Jack is a Rabbit is a charming story with an important and heartwarming moral: “Keep your mind and heart open when you meet someone new. You might find a great friend even if different from you!” Cooper wants to be friends as soon as he sees Jack, but he doesn’t initially go about things in the right way. As for Jack, at first, he’s scared of Cooper because of the clear differences between them. In the end, however, none of that matters because the two realize they can be great friends despite being different, which provides an important lesson about acceptance for young children.

Feinberg’s fun-filled rhyming text makes the story whizz along at almost the same pace as Cooper and Jack, and it’s sure to both amuse and entertain youngsters. Anna Mosca’s upbeat pastel-colored watercolor-style illustrations really complement the text. By featuring characters of different ages and different races, as well as a character in a wheelchair, the illustrations also serve to ensure that there’s a good level of representation in the story. All in all, Please Don’t Tell Cooper That Jack is a Rabbit is a delightful picture book that should appeal to children aged two to eight and their parents. Here’s to hoping that it won’t be the last book to feature Cooper the Dog.