Critical Reception
Recommendation: While Rabbits’ Wedding was received with favorable reviews in the journals, no awards were given to it. It also was not in the Children’s Catalog. Whether this is because of the controversy or not cannot be determined.
Initial Commentary: The 1958 edition of Commonweal gave the book a favorable review, saying that “even in the rabbit world, popping the question can take a long time. The reviewer thought the illustrations soft and amiable.”
The 1958 edition of HornBook said “the story has the warmth and security small children love with a happy ending in which the little black rabbit and the little white rabbit, decked with dandelions, celebrate their wedding while their rabbit friends dance in a ring around them. "The other animals of the forest came to watch the wedding dance" -the picture Mr. Williams has made of this scene has the magic quality of something one might be allowed to see if one were very young indeed and out alone on Midsummer Eve.”
Library Journal even gave it a starred review: “A large picture book of unusual beauty. The watercolor illustrations are lavishly spread across the big pages. A misty, diffused tone gives them a mysterious, enchanting appearance. Simple brief story tells how the little black rabbit and the little white rabbit play together in forest and meadow, among the dandelions and clover, and how the little black rabbit's wish comes true. A book which will delight the youngest ones.”
Only the Bulletin for the Center for Children’s Books gave it a negative review and labeled it NR for “not recommended”: “Oversize picture book about a little black rabbit and a little white rabbit. All the illustrations are double-page spreads, in soft tones of black, gray, yellow and white that are eminently suitable for the misty and wide-eyed appeal of the subjects. They are also somewhat repetitive and sentimental. While the books gives a very simple concept of love and marriage, confusion could arise about marital practices in the human and animal worlds.”
Citations of Reviews:
Reading Teacher V 31 MY '78 p. 915
Controversial Issue:
The Rabbits’ Wedding was the only book that Williams did that was banned. This is a sweet tale about two rabbits that fall in love and have a wedding in the forest. One of the rabbits just happened to be painted white and the other black. This caused a great controversy and suddenly Williams’ book was in the newspapers across the United States. In 1958, the White Citizens Council in Alabama challenged the book and had it removed from Alabama public libraries because they firmly believed it represented inter-racial marriage. These segregationists thought that the picture book was purposely aimed at children to indoctrinate them into believing that marriage between black and white people was acceptable. They thought this book had the power to dangerously influence young minds.
About the controversy, Williams stated, “I was completely unaware that animals with white fur, such as white polar bears and white dogs and white rabbits, were considered blood relations of white beings. I was only aware that a white horse next to a black horse looks very picturesque.” Williams said his story was not written for adults, who “will not understand it, because it is only about a soft furry love and has no hidden message of hate. Williams never intended the story to be about racial integration. He had made one rabbit white and the other black so that they could be told apart more easily. He also explained that he was trying to help the publisher by not using color because it was so expensive at the time to reproduce. In the New York Times, Williams also defends, "I was only aware that a white horse next to a black horse looks very picturesque--and my rabbits were inspired by early Chinese paintings of black and white horses in misty landscapes." Despite the protests against it, The Rabbits' Wedding sold well and has remained in print since its original publication."I stole all the headlines--even in Russia and Australia--7000 newspapers ... headlined it. It was read on the air and it had already been a best-seller, but the publicity led people to buy my other books," wrote Williams (Wheeler).
Retrospective Reception:
As the controversy died down and inter-racial couples became more commonplace, the book was typically viewed as “beautiful”, “a favorite”, and most people could not understand how it was banned in the first place. Some modern day reviews from Amazon are:
"I loved this story because it gives little children an easy way to comprehend a marriage and why people have a wedding. The two rabbits decide they want to be together "forever and ever" and so they have a wedding, to celebrate their decision. It's very sweet and simple."
"This is a sweet sweet story and the illustrations are especially endearing. The expressions on the rabbits faces, and hilarious detail to their feet, paws, etc, make this a must have for any childs library. It is excellent to give as a gift."
"The Rabbits Wedding was my favorite book as a 4-year-old - and it still is! The story is sweet, the illustrations are precious and young children get their first glimpse of true love. It is a very touching little story."
Initial Commentary: The 1958 edition of Commonweal gave the book a favorable review, saying that “even in the rabbit world, popping the question can take a long time. The reviewer thought the illustrations soft and amiable.”
The 1958 edition of HornBook said “the story has the warmth and security small children love with a happy ending in which the little black rabbit and the little white rabbit, decked with dandelions, celebrate their wedding while their rabbit friends dance in a ring around them. "The other animals of the forest came to watch the wedding dance" -the picture Mr. Williams has made of this scene has the magic quality of something one might be allowed to see if one were very young indeed and out alone on Midsummer Eve.”
Library Journal even gave it a starred review: “A large picture book of unusual beauty. The watercolor illustrations are lavishly spread across the big pages. A misty, diffused tone gives them a mysterious, enchanting appearance. Simple brief story tells how the little black rabbit and the little white rabbit play together in forest and meadow, among the dandelions and clover, and how the little black rabbit's wish comes true. A book which will delight the youngest ones.”
Only the Bulletin for the Center for Children’s Books gave it a negative review and labeled it NR for “not recommended”: “Oversize picture book about a little black rabbit and a little white rabbit. All the illustrations are double-page spreads, in soft tones of black, gray, yellow and white that are eminently suitable for the misty and wide-eyed appeal of the subjects. They are also somewhat repetitive and sentimental. While the books gives a very simple concept of love and marriage, confusion could arise about marital practices in the human and animal worlds.”
Citations of Reviews:
Reading Teacher V 31 MY '78 p. 915
Controversial Issue:
The Rabbits’ Wedding was the only book that Williams did that was banned. This is a sweet tale about two rabbits that fall in love and have a wedding in the forest. One of the rabbits just happened to be painted white and the other black. This caused a great controversy and suddenly Williams’ book was in the newspapers across the United States. In 1958, the White Citizens Council in Alabama challenged the book and had it removed from Alabama public libraries because they firmly believed it represented inter-racial marriage. These segregationists thought that the picture book was purposely aimed at children to indoctrinate them into believing that marriage between black and white people was acceptable. They thought this book had the power to dangerously influence young minds.
About the controversy, Williams stated, “I was completely unaware that animals with white fur, such as white polar bears and white dogs and white rabbits, were considered blood relations of white beings. I was only aware that a white horse next to a black horse looks very picturesque.” Williams said his story was not written for adults, who “will not understand it, because it is only about a soft furry love and has no hidden message of hate. Williams never intended the story to be about racial integration. He had made one rabbit white and the other black so that they could be told apart more easily. He also explained that he was trying to help the publisher by not using color because it was so expensive at the time to reproduce. In the New York Times, Williams also defends, "I was only aware that a white horse next to a black horse looks very picturesque--and my rabbits were inspired by early Chinese paintings of black and white horses in misty landscapes." Despite the protests against it, The Rabbits' Wedding sold well and has remained in print since its original publication."I stole all the headlines--even in Russia and Australia--7000 newspapers ... headlined it. It was read on the air and it had already been a best-seller, but the publicity led people to buy my other books," wrote Williams (Wheeler).
Retrospective Reception:
As the controversy died down and inter-racial couples became more commonplace, the book was typically viewed as “beautiful”, “a favorite”, and most people could not understand how it was banned in the first place. Some modern day reviews from Amazon are:
"I loved this story because it gives little children an easy way to comprehend a marriage and why people have a wedding. The two rabbits decide they want to be together "forever and ever" and so they have a wedding, to celebrate their decision. It's very sweet and simple."
"This is a sweet sweet story and the illustrations are especially endearing. The expressions on the rabbits faces, and hilarious detail to their feet, paws, etc, make this a must have for any childs library. It is excellent to give as a gift."
"The Rabbits Wedding was my favorite book as a 4-year-old - and it still is! The story is sweet, the illustrations are precious and young children get their first glimpse of true love. It is a very touching little story."
Actual typed review from the Bulletin for Children's Books:
Sources:
Amazon. Collected on 11/25/2013 from www.amazon.com.
Rabbits' wedding (book review).(1958) Library Journal (1876)., 83, 1940-1940.
Rabbits' wedding (book review).(1958). The New York Times (Early City Edition), , 42-42.
Rabbits' wedding (book review).(1958). Bull VA Kirkus' Bookshop Serv, 26, 179-179.
Rabbits' wedding (book review).(1958). Commonweal, 68, 210-210.
Rabbits' wedding (book review).(1958). Bookmark (Albany, N.Y.)., 17, 227-227.
Rabbits’ Wedding (book review) (1958). Bulletin for the Center for Children’s Books.
Tarbert, Gary C. and Barbara Beach. 1985.Children's Book Review Index Master Cumulation 1965-1984.Vol 4: S-Z. Michigan: Gale Research Company.
Wheeler, Jill C. 2005. Garth Williams. Minnesota: Abdo Publishing.
Amazon. Collected on 11/25/2013 from www.amazon.com.
Rabbits' wedding (book review).(1958) Library Journal (1876)., 83, 1940-1940.
Rabbits' wedding (book review).(1958). The New York Times (Early City Edition), , 42-42.
Rabbits' wedding (book review).(1958). Bull VA Kirkus' Bookshop Serv, 26, 179-179.
Rabbits' wedding (book review).(1958). Commonweal, 68, 210-210.
Rabbits' wedding (book review).(1958). Bookmark (Albany, N.Y.)., 17, 227-227.
Rabbits’ Wedding (book review) (1958). Bulletin for the Center for Children’s Books.
Tarbert, Gary C. and Barbara Beach. 1985.Children's Book Review Index Master Cumulation 1965-1984.Vol 4: S-Z. Michigan: Gale Research Company.
Wheeler, Jill C. 2005. Garth Williams. Minnesota: Abdo Publishing.