Meghan recommends "Watership Down"

 

"Every rabbit that stays behind is in great danger. We will welcome any rabbit who joins us."

Watership Down by Richard Adams is the story of a small band of rabbits who leave their home after one of them has a vision of a terrible fate coming for their warren. They set off into the unknown, escaping the coming danger, but going towards new threats such as predators, inhospitable landscapes and even other rabbits. Hazel becomes their leader, and by valuing the different strengths of those in his party and drawing lessons from rabbit mythology, he guides the band through much peril, before facing a final menace which requires all their wits and teamwork to try to overcome.

Watership Down is generally thought of as a children’s book, though I wouldn’t give it to many children today. It was originally published in 1972 in Britain, and I think most children would find the style of language difficult. However, a graphic novel adaptation was recently released, fairly faithful to the novel, and my nine-year-old enjoyed that version.

If you enjoy adventure stories and are looking for something different (or maybe to revisit something familiar) try reading Watership Down.