Bunnicula
By: Deborah and James Howe
Contributed by: Stephanie Chaplinski
Library of Congress Summary: Though scoffed at by Harold the dog, Chester
the cat tries to warn his human family that their foundling baby bunny must be a
vampire.
Booktalk: http://nancykeane.com/booktalks/howe_bunnicula.htm
http://www.mackinbooktalk.com/viewbook.aspx?BookId=1466
Author Information
http://www.bcplonline.org/kidspage/kids_howe.html
Pre-Reading Activities
Discussion topics for before reading:
• Do you have any pets? What do you think they are thinking about? How would they sound if
they could talk?
• What is a vampire? Have you seen one before? Are you scared of vampires? Why?
Chapters 1-2
Questions:
 What do you think is in the box and why is it not moving?
 If you found a sleeping bunny would you be able to take him or her in? What
would you name it?
Journal Topic:
What kind of animal would you like to find and why.
Vocabulary:
Admonition: (p. 3) cautionary advice about something going to happen soon
Reverie: (p. 4) daydream
Tranquil: (p. 6) calm
Decipher: (p. 8) change code into ordinary language
Compromise: (p. 15) settle an argument or impasse with a middle ground end.
Vivid: (p. 19) graphic
Eerie (p. 20) mysterious
Gypsy: (p. 22) a laborer who moves from place to place as demanded by employment
Hideous: (p. 23) so extremely ugly as to be terrifying
Fangs: (p. 23) a long, pointed tooth
Chapters 3-4
Journal Topic: Pretend you are a mystery writer. Write the opening for a scary mystery book.
Choose your words carefully to create a strange and eerie mood. What kind of voice will you
use? Remember the vocabulary you have learned from this book. Use some of them if you can.
Vocabulary:
Analysis (p. 25) is the process of breaking a complex topic or substance into smaller parts to gain
a better understanding of it.
Indulgent (p. 25) favorable
Romp (p. 27) run easily and fairly fast.
Pendulum (p. 29) an apparatus consisting of an object mounted so that it swings freely under the
influence of gravity
Subtle (p. 34) difficult to detect or grasp by the mind or analyze
Sauntered (p. 40) to walk at a leisurely pace
Scornfully (p. 41) without respect
Dialect (p. 45) the usage or vocabulary that is characteristic of a specific group of people
Vampire (p. 47) a corpse that rises at night to drink the blood of the living
Zucchini (p. 52) small cucumber-shaped vegetable
Chapters 5-6
Questions:


Why did the vegetables turn white? What is that called when a vegetable discolors
from a disease? (vocab word)
If you found vegetables in your refrigerator that turned white what would you do?
Journal Topic:
What you would do if you knew something bad was going to happen and no one believed you.
What would you do and how would you try to get them to understand and listen to you?
Vocabulary:
Panic (p. 53) be overcome by a sudden fear
Seized (p. 53) take hold of
Throttle (p. 54) restrict
Blight (pg 54) any plant disease resulting in withering without rotting
Organic (p. 55) of or relating to foodstuff grown or raised without synthetic fertilizers or
pesticides or hormones
Emanated (p. 62) to come from a source
Pendent (p. 63) an adornment that hangs from a piece of jewelry
Immobile (p. 70) not capable of movement or of being moved
Stake (p. 72) sharp pole
Pathetic (p. 75) lousiest
Chapters 7-9
Questions:
1. If there was someone in your house that was not “normal” how you would have handled it.
Do you think Chester handled things correctly? How could he have done things differently?
Journal Topic:
Have you ever had an enemy who turned out to be your friend? What happened and how did
you overcome your differences.
Vocabulary:
Exemplary (p. 78) worthy of imitation
Distressed (p. 79) suffering severe physical strain
Listless (p. 79) Fatigue is a state of awareness
Disaster (p. 84) A sudden event, such as an accident or a natural catastrophe, that causes great
damage or loss of life.
Petrified (p. 85) cause to become stone like or stiff or dazed and stunned
Nourishment (p. 87) a source of materials to nourish the body
Reluctance (p. 93) a certain degree of unwillingness
Overwrought (p. 93) deeply agitated especially from emotion
Psychiatrist (p. 96) a psychiatrist is a physician who specializes in psychiatry and is certified in
treating mental disorders
Narrative (p. 96) a message that tells the particulars of an act or occurrence or course of events
Interdisciplinary Activities
1. Art and science of animals:
 Draw a “family picture” including any pets they have or had. They can include any
they would like to have as well.
 Pretending they are the pet cat in the story. Have them draw a picture of “Bunnicula
from the cat’s point of view and the dog’s point of view. Talk about how each saw
him differently.
2. Science:

Researching bats. There are many different websites that help with the research on
bats. Find out as much as they can and fill a black line drawing up with information
on them.
3. Social studies and Geography:

Was Dracula fact or fiction? Research on the internet whether he was a real person
or a legend. How much of the legend, if it was a legend, was true?
Other Works by James Howe:
Horace and Morris, but Mostly Dolores
Bunnicula Strikes Again!
There’s a Dragon in My Sleeping Bag
Celery Stalks at Midnight
There’s a Monster Under My Bed
Howliday Inn
I Wish I Were a Butterfly
Nighty-Nightmare
Return to Howliday Inn
Sebastian Barth Mysteries
Dew Drop Inn
Eat Your Poison, Dear
Stage Fright
What Eric Knew
Pinky and Rex series
Morgan’s Zoo
Teddy Bear’s Scrapbook
Related websites for Bunnicula Activities:
http://books.simonandschuster.net/Bunnicula/Deborah-Howe/9781416928171/reading_group_guide
http://ethemes.missouri.edu/themes/378 : This website has many links to different activities that
can be used alongside the book. There is a biography of the author as well as a game to test the
knowledge of the user.
http://www.quia.com/hm/23758.html : This is a link to a Bunnicula hangman game. Have fun
and try not to lose.
http://www.longwood.k12.ny.us/ridge/wq/daubert2/ - Bunnicula WebQuest
http://www.teachervision.fen.com/fiction/activity/1730.html - Bunnicula Enrichment Activities