Jump Again! More Adventures of Brer Rabbit

Abstract

One year after Jump! we have a second book of Brer Rabbit. A third -- Jump on Over!! -- appeared two years later in 1989. Again forty large-format pages present five story complexes. The volume closes with the song In Love for a Day. The first story has Brer Rabbit in the bucket inside a well. He invites Brer Fox to come down and enjoy the great fishing, and of course Brer Fox's bucket by going down brings Brer Rabbit's bucket up. The second story is the famous Tar Baby story. The third story is How Brer Weasel Was Caught (15). Brer Weasel outsmarts them all those appointed to guard the local butter. Brer Rabbit is the last choice to guard the butter. When Brer Weasel approaches, he tries the usual tricks, but Brer Rabbit is ready for them. Brer Rabbit then suggests a match of tail-pulling. He thus gets Brer Weasel tied by the tail to a tree, and the butter is safe. Everyone admires Brer Rabbit for his excellent work. Fourth is Brer Rabbit and the Mosquitoes (23). Brer Wolf's lovely niece attracts all the menfolk as courters, and all are shown the door by Brer Wolf because they cannot put up with the mosquitoes. Then Brer Rabbit comes a-courting, with a good colored picture to match (26). He manages to scare up a story about a spotted horse and his own spotted grandfather, which gives him permission to swat himself -- indicating a spot on his grandfather, of course -- wherever a mosquito lands. Actually, he is interested in another female, as the final story declares. The portrait of his beloved, Miss Molly, is quite stunning (34). The end of this story declares He got the gal (39). Each story cycle has multiple full-page illustrations. Most are portraits of chief actors. About half are in color. Moser's The Tar-Baby is particularly well done (6). Also stunning is Miss Meadows' Place with its gas pump and Coca-Cola sign (30). The T of C at the book's beginning lists all the illustrations under their respective chapter headings. The dust-jacket has a seal acknowledging that the book received the 1987 Redbook Children's Picturebook Award.