Nancy Lane – illustratör

One day, KokoCat, a well-loved housecat, sees an open door, a chance to escape her pleasant life, to explore an exciting world outdoors. Once outside, she finds that life is more frightening and less enjoyable than she bargained for. Hungry, lost, and alone, KokoCat takes shelter under a dumpster and dreams of her former life inside. In vibrant images, KokoCat’s story shows the reader that keeping a domestic cat indoors is better both for the well being and longevity of the cat as well as for the birds and wild animals on which a cat preys. The book’s final page for parents and adults offers important information, provocative questions, and tips to increase young readers'' awareness of this important animal health and welfare issue.

Lynda Graham-Barber’s abiding passions for writing and animals have intermingled for four-decades, as children’s book editor, writing teacher, author of thirteen books, and animal rights advocate. The author, who holds an MFA in writing for children from Vermont College, lives in a small stone cottage, which she helped build, situated on 160 wooded acres in the Northeast Kingdom, Vermont, with her artist husband David and their rescued dog Biscuit.

Nancy Lane has been an award-winning illustrator for the last twenty years. Her picture books include Call the Horse Lucky and A Home for Dakota (both from The Gryphon Press). She lives in the Finger Lakes region of upstate New York with her family and her rescued dog and cats.

With its compelling color illustrations and evocative descriptions, The Forgotten Rabbit tells the tale of Bella the rabbit as she makes a giant leap from neglected Easter bunny to cherished animal companion.

A baby rabbit is chosen as an Easter present, but is soon forgotten by the family’s children as they pursue other activities. Her cage is moved outside, and she is rarely tended. As winter comes, she grows weak with hunger and curls into herself to disappear. Then, one night a girl called Rosalita takes her out of her cage, telling her that she has a new home, one in which she will never again be forgotten. Enjoying love, care, and a new name—Bella—she takes to the fun of agility lessons. Bella wins first prize in a rabbit agility contest—jumping with joy into the always-loving arms of Rosalita.

Written so that children five and up can immediately grasp the point, this children’s picture book gives honest but charming insights into the proper care of a rabbit as a companion animal. The story is suspenseful, moving, and, in the end, joyful. The active language will delight children while helping them build vocabulary skills.

Nancy Furstinger is the author of nearly one hundred books, including another Gryphon Press title, Maggie’s Second Chance.

Nancy Lane has illustrated twenty-seven books in twenty-five years, including the Gryphon Press titles A Home for Dakota, Call the Horse Lucky, and KoKoCat, Inside and Out.