Bunjitsu Bunny's Best Move

by John Himmelman

  Begin Reading

  Table of Contents

  About the Author

  Copyright Page

  Thank you for buying this

  Henry Holt and Company ebook.

  To receive special offers, bonus content,

  and info on new releases and other great reads,

  sign up for our newsletters.

  Or visit us online at

  us.macmillan.com/newslettersignup

  For email updates on the author, click here.

  The author and publisher have provided this e-book to you for your personal use only. You may not make this e-book publicly available in any way. Copyright infringement is against the law. If you believe the copy of this e-book you are reading infringes on the author’s copyright, please notify the publisher at: us.macmillanusa.com/piracy.

  For Sofia—

  may your best move be one of many!

  Isabel

  Isabel was the best bunjitsu artist in her school. She could kick higher than anyone. She could hit harder than anyone. She could throw her classmates farther than anyone.

  Some were frightened of her. But Isabel never hurt another creature, unless she had to.

  “Bunjitsu is not just about kicking, hitting, and throwing,” she said. “It is about finding ways NOT to kick, hit, and throw.”

  They called her Bunjitsu Bunny.

  Shadows

  One day, Isabel and her brother, Max, sat in a field. “Look at our shadows on the rock,” said Isabel.

  “Let’s see how well they know bunjitsu,” said Max. Max kicked his foot in the air. His shadow kicked its foot in the air. Isabel blocked the kick. Isabel’s shadow blocked the kick.

  “This is fun!” said Isabel.

  Max’s and Isabel’s shadows fought each other.

  “My shadow has big teeth!” said Max.

  Isabel laughed. “My shadow has big antlers!” she said.

  “My shadow has wings and can fly!” said Max.

  “My shadow can tickle your shadow so it can’t fly.” Isabel laughed again.

  Max moved away from the rock. His shadow grew twice as large. “Now you have to fight a giant bear.” Max’s shadow pounded Isabel’s shadow with great big paws. Isabel’s shadow fell to the ground.

  “My shadow has defeated the shadow of Bunjitsu Bunny!” said Max.

  Isabel stood up and walked toward the rock.

  “Now your shadow is like a little mouse,” said Max.

  “A quick little mouse,” said Isabel.

  Max’s shadow tried to grab her shadow. Isabel’s shadow darted away. Max’s shadow tried to punch Isabel’s shadow. Isabel’s shadow darted away. Her little shadow was too quick for Max’s shadow.

  “I give up,” said Max. “I thought being bigger and stronger would make me win.”

  “Sometimes,” said Isabel. “But sometimes it’s better to be a little mouse than a great big bear.”

  Bunjitsu Bunny Fails!

  One morning, Teacher said, “Practice your bunchucks, class. Tomorrow I will test you to see how good you have become.”

  “You don’t need to practice, Isabel,” said Wendy. “You never fail.”

  On the day of the test, all the bunjitsu students gathered in the classroom.

  Kyle went first. He swung his bunchucks so fast, no one could see them. Then he knocked the ball off its stand.

  “Well done!” said Teacher. “You pass.”

  Then it was Betsy’s turn. Her bunchucks whistled in the air and knocked the ball off its stand.

  “That is the best you have ever done!” said Teacher. “You pass.”

  All the students showed Teacher what they could do. Each passed the test.

  Finally, it was Isabel’s turn.

  “This is a waste of time,” said Ben. “Of course she will pass.”

  “It will still be fun to watch,” said Wendy.

  Isabel picked up her bunchucks.

  “OW!” she said when one hit her ear.

  “Ooch!” she said when they got tangled around her arm.

  Then she tried to knock the ball off the stand.

  “Strike one,” whispered Ben.

  “Strike two,” whispered Betsy.

  “Oh no! Strike three!” whispered Kyle.

  “I am sorry, Isabel,” said Teacher. “You did not pass the test, but I am sure you will next time.”

  Isabel was very sad. She had never failed before! Teacher asked her to stay after class.

  “You should not be unhappy,” said Teacher.

  “But everyone passed the test except me,” said Isabel.

  “Do you know what you did wrong?” asked Teacher.

  “Yes,” said Isabel.

  “Can you do better?” asked Teacher.

  “Yes,” said Isabel.

  “Lucky you,” said Teacher. “They passed the test, but you learned the most.”

  Mountain Goat

  Isabel went for a hike on a chilly winter morning. At the end of the day, it was getting cold. She took a shortcut home and came to a bridge. Mountain Goat stood in the middle.

  “Hi, Mountain Goat,” said Isabel. “Would you please let me pass?”

  “This is my bridge,” said Mountain Goat. “You can pass if you beat my mighty horns.”

  “I do not want to bump heads with a goat,” said Isabel.

  “Then swim across the icy river,” said Mountain Goat.

  Isabel had little choice. She backed up and got a running start. Isabel and Mountain Goat met head-to-head.

  CRASH! Isabel was knocked from the bridge.

  She brushed herself off and backed up even farther. They met head-to-head.

  CRASH! Isabel flew backward.

  “Would you like to try again?” asked Mountain Goat.

  She didn’t want to try again. But she did want to go home. Isabel backed up farther yet. They met head-to-head.

  CRASH! Isabel landed in a far-off tree.

  “The great Bunjitsu Bunny cannot beat my mighty horns,” shouted Mountain Goat, laughing.

  He’s right, thought Isabel. “One more try,” she said.

  “My pleasure,” said Mountain Goat.

  Isabel backed up half a mile. She ran so fast, her body was a blur. When she reached Mountain Goat, she leapfrogged over him!

  “Hey!” shouted Mountain Goat. “We were supposed to bump heads!”

  “I remembered what Teacher taught me,” said Bunjitsu Bunny. “Don’t let your enemy choose how you will fight.”

  Just DO It!

  Four bunnies lay in the grass, looking up at the sky.

  “That cloud looks like my grandma,” said Ben. “I wish I was at her house right now. I love my grandma’s hugs.”

  “Look at the cloud next to it,” said Wendy. “It looks like a trumpet. I wish I had my trumpet with me. I love making music.”

  “That cloud makes me think of a kicking bunny,” said Max. “I really should practice my bunjitsu kicks some more.”

  Isabel stood up and left.

  “Where did she go?” asked Ben.

  “You never know with her,” said Max.

  A few hours later, Isabel returned. Her friends were still lying in the grass.

  “Where were you?” asked Wendy.

  “Max made me think that I should practice my bunjitsu kicks, so I did. Wendy made me wish I could go make music, so I did. And Ben made me think of my grandma, so I went and got a nice big grandma hug.”

  The other three bunnies stood up.

  “Where are you going?” asked Isabel.

  “You are right,” said Ben. “Doing something is better than talking about it.”

  One Hundred Squirrels

  Isabel loved to bake a
corn cookies. She made a batch to give to her friends. As they were cooling, Squirrel showed up.

  “Are those acorn cookies?” she asked.

  “Yes,” said Isabel. “I would give you one, but I made just enough for my friends.”

  “Then I will TAKE one!” said Squirrel. She reached for the cookies. Isabel chased her away. But when she turned around, Squirrel was back.

  “COOKIES!” shouted Squirrel.

  “No cookies,” said Isabel, and she chased Squirrel off. When she turned around, Squirrel was heading for the cookies again.

  “How are you doing that?” Isabel asked. She chased Squirrel away. When she got back, Squirrel was there.

  “You can’t be that fast!” said Isabel.

  Then another squirrel appeared. And another. And another. Soon Bunjitsu Bunny had to defeat an army of one hundred cookie-loving squirrels.

  She fought them one, two, three, ten, fifty at a time. They kept coming back.

  I can’t do this all day, thought Isabel. But I will if I have to. Then she had an idea. She held the tray over her head.

  “The first one to get to these cookies can have them all,” she said.

  “COOKIES!” shouted the squirrels. They were so busy fighting one another, they didn’t see Isabel tiptoe away with the tray.

  The next day, Isabel baked more acorn cookies. This time, she made one hundred extra.

  The Climb

  Isabel wanted to climb to the top of Mount Snowcap. It was the tallest mountain in the area.

  “That mountain is too big,” said Max. “You will never make it to the top.”

  “I will try,” said Isabel. She grabbed her backpack and headed up the mountain.

  Climb. Climb. Climb.

  Up. Up. Up.

  Along the way, she came across a patch of pretty pink violets. She sat and drew pictures of them.

  I’d better keep going, thought Isabel, or I will never make it to the top.

  Climb. Climb. Climb.

  Up. Up. Up.

  “Hello,” said a voice. “You look thirsty.”

  “Hello,” said Isabel. “I am saving my water for when I get to the top.”

  “I am Snowshoe Hare. Come share some sweet mountain water with me.”

  Isabel and Snowshoe sat and talked. He had so many stories about living on the mountain.

  “I’d better get going,” said Isabel, “or I will never make it to the top.”

  Climb. Climb. Climb.

  Up. Up. Up.

  A rock bounced down the hill. The sound echoed in the valley below.

  “Hello,” called Isabel.

  “Hello hello hello,” called her echo.

  Isabel sang to the valley. The valley sang back to her. She was having so much fun, she lost track of time. Soon it would be dark. It was time to head down.

  “Did you make it to the top?” asked Max when she returned home.

  “No,” said Isabel. “But that is okay. A goal can be something you aim for. What happens along the way makes it worth the try.”

  The Chore

  One day, Teacher looked out at the garden behind the school. “There are so many weeds,” he said. “Would any of you like to help get rid of them?”

  All the students volunteered.

  “I think it is a lesson he is teaching us,” said Isabel. “Pulling weeds makes us practice the bunjitsu elbow strike.”

  “I think he wants us to dig them with our paws,” said Ben. “It makes us practice the bunjitsu tornado block.”

  “No,” said Kyle. “He wants us to use our feet to practice our bunjitsu kicks.”

  The bunnies spent the rest of the day in the garden. They pulled. They dug. They kicked. When they were done, Teacher came outside.

  “The garden looks wonderful,” he said.

  “And watch this,” said Isabel. She showed Teacher her bunjitsu elbow strike.

  “Good, good,” said Teacher.

  “Look at my bunjitsu tornado block,” said Ben. His paws circled through the air.

  “Beautiful,” said Teacher.

  “Watch THIS!” said Kyle. He kicked mightily in the air.

  “Very nice,” said Teacher.

  All the bunnies showed Teacher what he’d had them practice.

  “Those were good lessons you taught us,” said Isabel.

  “You taught yourselves those lessons,” said Teacher.

  “But isn’t that why you wanted us to weed the garden?” she asked.

  “No,” said Teacher. “Sometimes the garden just needs to be weeded.”

  Lynx

  Isabel was hopping home from school. Lynx blocked her path.

  “So you are the great Bunjitsu Bunny,” he said. “If I beat you in a fight, everyone will be afraid of ME!”

  “I do not want to fight you,” said Isabel.

  “Too bad!” said Lynx. He leapt at Isabel. The two fought until she held him to the ground.

  “Now it’s over,” said Isabel. “No more fighting.”

  The next day, Lynx was waiting for her.

  “I will beat you today,” he said. He leapt at the bunny. The two fought until Isabel held him to the ground.

  “No more fighting,” she said.

  Lynx did not listen. Every day, he waited for Isabel. Every day, he fought her. Every day, he lost.

  “I will keep fighting you until I win,” said Lynx.

  “Is there any way I can get you to stop?” asked Isabel.

  “No one can make me do anything,” said Lynx.

  Isabel thought a moment. “Okay,” she said. “One more fight.”

  Lynx leapt at Isabel. The bunny fell to the ground.

  “You win,” she said. “I give up.”

  “I defeated Bunjitsu Bunny,” he roared, and ran back into the woods.

  Kyle walked by. “Why did you let Lynx beat you?” he asked.

  “I would rather lose one little fight,” said Isabel, “than win a thousand of them.”

  Your Best Move

  Bunjitsu class was over for the day. “Before you go home,” said Teacher, “I want each of you to show me your best way to stop a fight.”

  “I have a good one,” said Betsy. “Max, come and attack me.”

  Max ran at Betsy.

  “WAHAA!” shouted Betsy. She flipped Max through the air!

  “My turn,” said Max. “Betsy, come and attack me.”

  Betsy ran at Max.

  “YAHEE!” shouted Max. He wrestled Betsy to the ground!

  “I’ve got one,” said Wendy. “Kyle, attack!”

  Kyle leapt at Wendy.

  “HEEYIP!” shouted Wendy. She pulled his ears!

  “Watch this,” said Kyle. “Wendy, ATTACK!”

  “HOOBAWOOBA!” shouted Kyle. He spun and sent Wendy flying!

  “Now it’s my turn,” said Ben. “Isabel, ATTACK!”

  Isabel grabbed Ben’s shirt.

  “HEEYA!” shouted Ben. He yanked her to the ground!

  When it was Isabel’s turn, everyone backed up. They were all afraid to attack Bunjitsu Bunny.

  “Be brave, my bunnies,” said Teacher. No one stepped forward.

  “Okay,” said Betsy. “I will attack Isabel.”

  Betsy ran at Isabel.

  Isabel wrapped her arms around Betsy and gave her a hug.

  “This is my favorite way to stop a fight,” she said.

  “I’ll attack her,” said Wendy.

  “No, me,” said Max.

  “No, I will,” said Kyle.

  “Next,” said Ben.

  “Nothing is more powerful than the bunjitsu hug,” said Teacher with a laugh.

  Mole Hole

  Isabel liked to sit in her underground den. Her friend Mole often visited her. They sipped blueberry juice. They shared funny stories.

  Sometimes they just sat quietly and enjoyed being together.

  One day, Mole looked sad.

  “What is wrong?” asked Isabel.

  “I always visit your den,”
said Mole, “but you never visit mine.”

  “I would love to visit your den,” said Isabel.

  “Follow me,” said Mole. He disappeared into his tunnel.

  Mole’s tunnel was very small. Isabel barely squeezed through. When she got to the end, she could hardly move. She popped her head into Mole’s den.

  “It is a very nice place,” said Isabel, “but I cannot fit inside.”

  “Oh,” said Mole. “I did not think of that.”

  He showed Isabel his favorite things. “This is a picture of my mom and dad.”

  “This is my comfy mushroom seat.”

  “This is the flute I like to play.”

  “I wish I could join you,” said Isabel.

  The next day, Isabel was very busy. She drew a picture. She went hunting in the damp forest. Then she found a stick to carve.

  “Come on over,” she called to Mole through his tunnel.

  Mole came to Isabel’s den. Waiting inside was a comfy mushroom seat, a flute, and a picture of his mom and dad.