The Rabbit Who Wants to Go to Harvard: A New Way of Getting Children to Stop Sleeping and Start Achieving

Ronald is a young rabbit who likes normal children stuff… he has joyous, playful thoughts in his head but his mother is obsessed with him getting into Harvard. So his days are filled with all the “right” activities: SATs, violin practice, French language practice, community service hours, and so forth. He is not allowed to read silly books, like Peter Rabbit, even if his dream is actually to be able one day to write one.

On the way to meeting the Admission Officer, they meet a wolf, Adderall Aardvark, that gives Ronald a powerful, invigorating potion; and Kollege Koach Kitty, who gives him all sorts of advice on more and more activities and hobbies to pursue in order to get a long resume.

When finally Ronald and Mom get in line to see the Admission Officer, together with thousands of other rabbits trying to get into Harvard, Owl, the Admission Officer, tries to find out if Ronald has any special quality that will get him admitted (for each special quality Owl is ready to sprinkle a “magic” “admission powder” over him). Unfortunately, his achievements do not seem to stand out, until Ronald confronts Owl and tells him that his dream (contrary to what mom hopes for him, he whispers) is to become a writer for children’s books. Owl makes him promise that his book will have space for him, the Owl, and for Kitty and Aardvark too, and sends him home. Ronald thinks he’s made it. But once home he gets an e-mail of rejection and finds himself relieved. He writes the best children’s book ever written. He sends it in, and immediately gets a second e-mail: he’s been admitted. He goes to tell mom, who’s already working on getting him admitted into… Stanford.

I am not sure I enjoyed reading the book. There are indeed funny references to an unfortunately common situation, an addicted single parent raising a child and obsessed with such child having the “right” future… yet ignoring of the fact that such expectations are robbing him of his present life and his inner joy. Aside from the joking expressions and cliches, the rest of the book just does not flow. It is not just the abundance of different fonts (each carrying a different meaning) that interrupts the natural flow. It is also the choice of situational descriptions that keep mixing important with marginal, to the point of losing the reader.Just a good idea with a terrible execution.