Adelaide's Secret World

K-Gr 2—Adelaide, an elegant rabbit, lives alone in a formerly busy storefront that used to manufacture and sell small music boxes and other objets d'art. As an adult, she finds herself living a solitary existence where she observes life without taking part. From her window or a high vantage point, Adelaide watches other members of her community which includes humans as well as elephants, bears, foxes, and other rabbits. One day, her loneliness drives her outdoors and when the weather turns nasty, she makes a connection that turns her world around. Charming painterly surrealistic illustrations reveal Adelaide sitting on her rooftop greeting the day while a gondola sails through the sky and fish swim in schools high in the air. Hurst's paintings are impressive as they range from the smallest details to seemingly loose brushstrokes that reveal realistic windowpanes, rain, wind, and puddles on the street. Adelaide's candles that she arranges on her rooftop glow with warmth and light in red, orange, and yellow.