A delightfully fun and rhythmic story about overcoming our fears and learning to try something new. Ditter Von Dapp is a quirky rabbit who is painfully afraid of the light. Having confined himself to a cozily dark cave to avoid his biggest fear, he is one day forced to light a candle in order to find a lost left shoe. Despite being afraid that the light "might drive me crazy or turn me to goo," Von Dapp slowly discovers just how wonderful light can be. In his newly illuminated world, he finds that a wise mouse had stolen his shoe to teach him a valuable lesson. With playful rhymes and incredibly rich illustrations, children and parents will delight in reading Ditter Von Dapp's journey. His realization that the light isn't something to be afraid of will help children learn to face their own fears--they just might open themselves up to a new world they never would have imagined and find a new friend in the process! PreS-Gr 1—This story follows a rabbit, Ditter von Dapp, who is stuck in a dark period, literally and figuratively, and who overcomes those difficulties to find the light. In an awkward rhyming text, Ditter is stuck in the darkness and drifting through life. After rediscovering the light, Ditter realizes how wonderful his home and life is. He then encourages readers to find the light in their own lives if they are also stuck. Despite failed attempts at nonsensical vocabulary in the manner of Dr. Seuss, this is an uplifting, reassuring book. In hues of blue to show the darkness of the room and in the rabbit's mind, the illustrations also show the burrow as a complicated set of rooms and stairs filled with visual hidden treasures for young eyes to pore over. While it is difficult to balance a book for children on sadness or depression, this one also shows that there are moments when Ditter is content, and that feelings can change and shift. This book could be nicely paired with What Do You Do With a Problem? by Kobi Yamada. VERDICT As children acknowledge and process the feelings the pandemic has raised, this might be a good addition to collections needing books on sadness and overcoming those feelings.—Katie Llera, Bound Brook Elem. Sch., NJ “In this quirky picture book that reverses a common childhood fear, Ditter is a bunny who lives in a hole, far from the sun; he’s afraid of anything bright. But a waylaid shoe forces him to do the unthinkable: light a candle and look around. To his delight, he discovers a colorful world that’s worth interacting with. The fun, rhyming, onomatopoeic text tracks Ditter’s growth from a shadowed life toward one that’s alive with details worthy of an attentive search-and-find approach.”— Foreword Reviews “No matter what fear a child may have, this wonderful tale of a dithering rabbit with an unusual approach to life can help allay it.”— The Florida Times-Union “As children acknowledge and process the feelings the pandemic has raised, this might be a good addition to collections needing books on sadness and overcoming those feelings.”— School Library Journal Born on San Juan Island, KING ALBERT KELLY STRASSER IV (typically just called Albert, much to his chagrin) considered growing up, thought better of it, and decided instead to begin writing stories for "the people who understand me." An experimenter by nature, he tends to try things that don't work and ask questions that get him into trouble. A Buddhist practitioner, dancer, poet, and eater of pastries, Albert currently resides somewhere new with his imaginary pet salamander, Sir Hugh Hamilton Rothschild Sr. FLAVIA SORRENTINO lives and works as a freelance illustrator in Rome, where she grew up. She loves her city and the figure of speech, "Rome wasn't built in a day," which inspires her each day to seek new ways of communication and expression. She has worked hard on her technique which has taken her across the globe, from France to America and beyond! She has a true passion for Toulouse-Lautrec, poetry, historical costume, typography, Tina Turner, and tomato sauce!