Book Bunnies

The Book Bunnies review the books of 2025

For the last few years, we have been doing a New-Year-ish thing in our last post of the year and talking about all the books we have read through that year. (You can find our recap of 2022 here; here is our recap of 2023, and here is the recap for 2024.) This year, we continue this tradition and take a look at our reviews for 2025.

[2025 saw the bunnies read and review many books, both new and classic. You can find a full list here.]

The book bunnies review the books of 2025.

Sprinkles: This year was a long and interesting one! We read a lot of new books and a lot of old books, too. And all the way at the end of the year, Midnight, the fourth member of our family joined us! So we thought, we can do something slightly different this time. Maybe everyone can tell us their favorites?

Midnight: Mine is the easiest then. I only reviewed one book: Foundation by Asimov. So it is my favorite book of the year. Also it is my least favorite.

Sprinkles: I see what you did there Midnight. That is funny.

This year Midnight joined the book bunnies blog and reviewed Foundation by Isaac Asimov. Here is a link to his review. — This year Midnight joined the book bunnies blog and reviewed *Foundation* by Isaac Asimov. Here is a link to his review.

Caramel: I want to say what mine was next!

Sprinkles: Sure, Caramel. I know you have been going over your reviews for the year. So which was your favorite?

Caramel: Escaping Peril, the graphic novel version. I also really liked rereading my review because soon, very soon, I will have the ninth book to read!

Sprinkles: Yes, I know! It is going to be published in early January 2026, so you can review it when we get back from our break.

Caramel: Will do.

Caramel's favorite book in 2025 was Escaping Peril: The Graphic Novel by Tui Sutherland. Here is a link to his review. — Caramel’s favorite book in 2025 was *Escaping Peril: The Graphic Novel* by Tui Sutherland. Here is a link to his review.

Sprinkles: So Marshmallow, what was your favorite book this year?

Marshmallow: I liked several of them a lot.

Sprinkles: I know, it is sometimes really hard to choose. But if you had to…

Marshmallow: I really liked The Light Eaters by Zoë Schlanger. I thought it was really well written and very inspiring.

Sprinkles: That was a really good book!

Marshmallow's favorite book in 2025 was The Light Eaters by Zoë Schlanger. Here is a link to her review. — Marshmallow’s favorite book in 2025 was The Light Eaters by Zoë Schlanger. Here is a link to her review.

Marshmallow: Yes. But I also really liked a lot of the other books I reviewed this year. So it is quite hard to choose. How about you?

Sprinkles: Hmm, I reviewed a lot of poetry books this year. And also Flatland: A Journey of Many Dimensions, which is a mathematical classic. So of course I liked that one a lot. But among the poetry books, When We Were Very Young and Now We Are Six by A.A. Milne are probably my favorites. They are really cute, and they remind me a lot of both of you when you were even younger bunnies.

Marshmallow: Of course, because we were also so so cute!

Sprinkles: Exactly.

Caramel: We are still cute, though?

Sprinkles: Of course.

Midnight: I myself don’t care to be cute.

Sprinkles: You jut can’t help it though!

Midnight: Hmm. I prefer to be mysterious and vaguely threatening.

Marshmallow: Okay Midnight. As you wish.

Sprinkles cheated and chose three favorites: *Flatland: A Journey of Many Dimensions*, *When We Were Very Young*, and *Now We Are Six*.

Sprinkles: Typically in these recaps, we used to talk about quite a lot more books, but this year, we wanted to try something different and just talk about our favorites.

Caramel: It is a lot easier honestly.

Sprinkles: Well, for some of us, it is not so easy to choose our favorites. For example, that new book you two could not stop reading last week. Maybe it will be your favorite next year?

Marshmallow: It might be, if I review it.

Caramel: Hmm, I could review it too, but if she insists, I guess Marshmallow could review it. Then I will have my Wings of Fire books to review anyways.

Sprinkles: True, besides the ninth graphic novel of the original Wings of Fire series, the sixteenth book is coming out in 2026 as well.

Caramel: I can’t wait!

Sprinkles: Maybe Midnight will review more books for us, too, in 2026.

Midnight: That remains to be seen. A mysterious rabbit does not reveal their intentions so easily.

Caramel: Hmm, okay Midnight. But in any case, we have the month of January off!

Marshmallow: And we will be back here in February! So I want to say: Happy new year everyone! We wish you a happy hoppy new year in 2026!

Sprinkles: With lots of good books and many friends, old and new!

Caramel: Yes! And stay tuned for more book bunny reviews, coming to you in February 2026!

All four book bunnies, and Caramel's good friend Steve, wish all bunnies around the world a hoppy happy new year in 2026, with lots of good books and many friends, old and new! — All four book bunnies, and Caramel’s good friend Steve, wish all bunnies around the world a hoppy happy new year in 2026, with lots of good books and many friends, old and new!

Marshmallow reviews The Story of the Blue Planet by Andri Snær Magnason

Today Marshmallow reviews The Story of the Blue Planet, written in Icelandic by Andri Snær Magnason in 2000, illustrated by Áslaug Jónsdóttir, and translated into English in 2012 by Julian Meldon D’Arcy.

Marshmallow’s Quick Take: If you like books that are interesting, thought-provoking, yet quick and easy to read, then this is the book for you!

Marshmallow’s Summary (with Spoilers): The story starts off with a simple introduction to the Blue Planet. It’s a world that the narrator describes as un-interesting to anyone who wants to study planets. It is pretty similar to our own planet with beautiful waterfalls, oceans, forests, islands, and everything else we have here on Earth. The key difference between our world and the Blue Planet is that the Blue Planet is only inhabited by children. The children live a life that is somewhat like the lives of hunter-gatherers from the past of Earth. They hunt, gather, and eat what they need and—in this manner—their world is a heavenly paradise full of children who play most of the day.

However, this all changes when Gleesome Goodday arrives. His spaceship falls from the sky after spelling out a question of whether or not they want to have real fun. When the spaceship crashes though, Brimir and Hulda are the first to find it and see the emerging silhouette of Goodday as the coming of a space monster. They run away, but find upon their return that Goodday has become very popular among the children despite the fact that he is the first adult to have existed on the Blue Planet.

Goodday gives all children business cards that advertise his various, bizarre businesses and claims that he can grant their deepest desire, which is to have fun. However, the children already have almost constant fun. Goodday refuses to believe this though, dismissing their activities as too boring. He offers to make them fly because, as he points out, almost everyone has had a dream of flying at some point. Every year, butterflies emerge from hibernation in caves in the mountains and fly around the world, following the sun for a day. Then they return to their homes and sleep for the rest of the year. Goodday, who they name Jolly Goodday, sucks up some butterfly dust using his special vacuum and then sprinkles it on the children. This magically allows them to fly while the sun is up.

Unfortunately, this story soon illustrates the impacts of greed, as the children continue to make demands for more (though these demands are often inspired by Goodday himself). Though this book is set in a very unrealistic world, it shows the very real impacts of some very real human instincts.

Marshmallow is reading The Story of the Blue Planet by Andri Snær Magnason. — Marshmallow is reading *The Story of the Blue Planet* by Andri Snær Magnason.

Marshmallow’s Review: I found The Story of the Blue Planet to be a very fascinating book. It is very short and very simplistically written, so any and all bunnies of any and all ages can read it and understand it. It took me around an hour (and this is a bit of an overestimation) to read this book, so it is not very long. Yet, it sticks with you a bit because the story is so familiar and so foreign at the same time.

On the surface, The Story of the Blue Planet is a story about greed and selfishness told through the vehicle of the fable. But I think it is also about forgiveness and human understanding … for reasons I don’t think I should explain or can explain without spoiling the ending. I think it also teaches empathy and compassion in the face of compelling complacency. I am not sure how such a simplistic book can cover so much thematic ground, but somehow Magnason did it! I would highly recommend reading this to all!

[If you are curious about it, here is the first of a series of YouTube videos where the author reads the book from cover to cover.]

Marshmallow’s Rating: 95%.

Marshmallow rates The Story of the Blue Planet by Andri Snær Magnason 100%. — Marshmallow rates *The Story of the Blue Planet* by Andri Snær Magnason 100%.

Caramel reviews Kiki’s Delivery Service by Eiko Kadono

Today Caramel reviews Kiki’s Delivery Service, originally written in Japanese by Eiko Kadono in 1985. Kiki’s story became a world sensation when the animated movie Kiki’s Delivery Service by Hayao Miyazaki of Studio Ghibli came out in 1989. Caramel and Sprinkles both read the book before watching the movie, and in this post, they are talking about the English translation by Emily Balistrieri, published originally in 2020.

Caramel reviews Kiki's Delivery Service, written by Eiko Kadono and translated into English by Emily Balistrieri. — Caramel reviews *Kiki’s Delivery Service*, written by Eiko Kadono and translated into English by Emily Balistrieri.

Sprinkles: Today Caramel and I are talking about a book written several decades before he was born. And an animated movie of the book also became famous all the way back then. But Caramel and I only read it this year. The story is pretty timeless though, so I think it still worked out well. What do you think, Caramel?

Caramel: Yeah, I agree. The story is timeless, and it is pretty good. It’s about a witch. In this world witches are nice, and at thirteen they need to leave home and go to a new town and help the people there.

S: Okay, that’s cool, I like that witches are nice. And I like growing-up-and-figuring-yourself-out stories. So I’m guessing that this book is about a witch named Kiki, and she starts a delivery service in a new town?

C: Yes, that’s almost exactly what happens. When Kiki turns thirteen, she needs to leave her home. Her mom is also a witch and both her parents are very supportive of what she has to do. So she leaves home and flies to a town near the ocean.

S: Wait! She literally flies?

C: Yes, on her broomstick!

S: Cool! So she is a broomstick witch. Okay go on.

C: So in this new town, Kiki begins to live with a farm family. She then sets up shop in their barn and gets a telephone, and she starts her delivery service there.

S: So she begins to deliver things to people using her broomstick, like courier services provided by people on mopeds?

C: Yeah, she delivers small things. Toy cats, real cats, children, bread, things like that.

S: Wait, she delivers children?

C: Yeah, no, that’s a joke. But she delivers all kinds of other stuff. And she has a talking cat named Jiji who always comes along.

Caramel is reading Kiki's Delivery Service, written by Eiko Kadono and translated into English by Emily Balistrieri. — Caramel is reading *Kiki’s Delivery Service*, written by Eiko Kadono and translated into English by Emily Balistrieri.

S: Oh, that sounds really cool. Wouldn’t you like to have a talking cat?

C: Maybe. I think it could be fun. But these witches sure like names that repeat a syllable. Ki-ki and Ji-ji.

S: Both names sound cute though, right?

C: Sure-sure; see I did the same thing?

S: You are in a good mood today Caramel! Okay, let us get back to the book. So did you know that the author who wrote this book wrote eight more following the adventures of Kiki?

C: Really, are they translated yet? This book was pretty good so I’d definitely like to read at least some of the followup books.

S: I don’t think any of them is translated yet. But you’re right. The story sounds really cute.

C: Yeah, it’s a nice calm book. Nothing really bad happens, and Kiki feels lonely at the beginning and faces some challenges, but nothing too scary, and she eventually finds her footing. All young bunnies could enjoy it, I think.

S: Agreed. Did you know that the animated version of the book was what made it so famous? The movie was made all the way back in 1989 and it is still well liked by many around the world.

C: Huh, that’s cool, I didn’t know that.

S: Yeah, it was made by Hayao Miyazaki, from Studio Ghibli. Do you remember them? They are the people who made My Neighbor Totoro (1988), Spirited Away (2001), and The Boy and the Heron (2023).

C: Oh yeah, I do think we saw the trailer for Kiki before we watched The Boy and the Heron, and that was one weird movie! But I think Marshmallow liked My Neighbor Totoro.

S: I did not see that one but yes, The Boy and the Heron was a very different type of movie. I think it would be neat to see the movie about Kiki, too.

C: Yes! Maybe we can put in a link for the trailer?

S: Sure. Here it is:

C: Thank you. Maybe we can find a way to watch the full movie too.

S: Yes, I think that would be lovely! Do you think this is a good time to wrap up this review?

C: Yes, I think so.

S: Okay, then, what would you like to tell our readers?

C: Stay tuned for more book bunny reviews! And merry Christmas to all who celebrate!

Caramel enjoyed reading Kiki's Delivery Service, written by Eiko Kadono and translated into English by Emily Balistrieri, and is eager to see the movie itself next. — Caramel enjoyed reading *Kiki’s Delivery Service*, written by Eiko Kadono and translated into English by Emily Balistrieri, and is eager to see the movie itself next.

Marshmallow reviews Guinness World Records 2026

Readers of the book bunnies blog know that Caramel loves his facts. But they might have also noticed that Marshmallow also finds facts fascinating. In particular she is known to have read from cover to cover several volumes of Guinness World Records books; she has even reviewed the 2024 version for the blog. As we are slowly getting ready for 2026, she thought it would be apt to talk about the most recent edition: Guinness World Records 2026, published as always by Guinness World Records.

Marshmallow’s Quick Take: If you like reading about cool, interesting facts, then this is the book for you!

Marshmallow’s Summary: The beginning of the book has a two-page table of contents divided into different sections titled “ICON,” “Extreme Nature,” “Human Beings,” “Fantastic Feats,” “Science & Engineering,” “Society,” “Kids Zone,” “Screen Time,” “Arts & Crafts,” and “Sports.”

The theme for this year’s Guinness World Record is just the simple color yellow. The first two pages after the table of contents are bright yellow and have a bunch of world records that have to do with the color yellow. For example, apparently the most mustard eaten from a tube in 30 was 416 grams—a feat accomplished by André Ortolf (who also holds the world record for eating 1,083 grams of bottled mustard). Another yellow record is held by teacher Hideki Mori who built the lowest roadworthy car with his automobile engineering students…and the car is unsurprisingly yellow!

The rest of the book follows the layout given in the table of contents. Some other records I found interesting were about the world’s largest bath toy (a massive rubber duck that is around 40 meters long), the world’s largest moth (the atlas moth which is so large that its size-accurate picture takes up almost two pages!), and the longest marriage for a living couple (84 years and 77 days).

Marshmallow is reading Guinness World Records 2026. — Marshmallow is reading *Guinness World Records 2026*.

Marshmallow’s Review: I found this book very interesting and reading it is a constant source of entertainment and wonder. I would highly recommend it!

This book is very nice to look at. The pictures are very detailed and printed very well so there are a lot of really nice illustrations on every single page. That said, I would say that some of the pictures are a little scary because the human body and nature can do some weird things. But I would say that, because this is a very entertaining book, bunnies of all ages can enjoy it.

I think this book can be read in order, but it can also just be fun to skip around it and learn something new every now and then. Some of the ‘feats’ definitely made me wonder why anyone would try to do such a thing or why anyone would waste so much time training for it, but I suppose my judgements are subjective and reading about those feats is still interesting.

While this is a non-fiction book, it is not necessarily educational, like some of the “fact-ful” books Caramel likes to review. However, there are still some parts that can be somewhat educational. For example, I think the nature part is extremely informative, followed by the science and engineering parts.

All in all, I liked reading this book because it reminds me that there are so many weird yet fascinating things out there in the world and, with this book, I can almost see them for myself!

Marshmallow’s Rating: 100%.

Marshmallow rates Guinness World Records 2026 100%. — Marshmallow rates *Guinness World Records 2026* 100%.