- Illustrated Chapter Books
- Ages 5–8
- Comedy
Rabbit and Bear: Rabbit's Bad Habits
Book 1 of 6 in Rabbit and BearView the full series
Rabbit wakes Bear from hibernation by accident, and the friendship that follows is one of the best odd-couples in British children's fiction. Julian Gough writes with genuine literary wit; Jim Field's illustrations are excellent. A step up from Narwhal and Jelly in prose and ambition, and a natural bridge to longer chapter books.
- Best for5–8
- FormatIllustrated
- Length112 pp
- Read aloud~1 hr35 min
The vibe
What it’s like.
Style
- Comedic
- Conversational
- Repetitive
Tone
- Funny
- Warm
- Silly
- Gentle
- Heartwarming
- Cosy
- Irreverent
Themes
Experience meters
What’s it about?
The story.
Rabbit's Bad Habits introduces the series' central conceit: Rabbit is neurotic, anxious, full of bad habits, and catastrophically good at causing problems; Bear is calm, philosophical, and warm enough to find Rabbit wonderful rather than exhausting. Gough uses the friendship_formation plot_engine to deliver something more emotionally layered than most books at this age level, the anxiety deep theme at 0.6 is the highest in the first book and does real work: Rabbit's worry is genuine, and Bear's response to it is a model of patient friendship. The great_writing adult_appeal is not aspirational, Gough is a literary novelist and it shows in the prose rhythm and joke construction. This is a book that reads well aloud in a way that rewards the adult as much as the child. The poo_joke surface topic reflects the series' knowing irreverence: Gough includes the toilet comedy deliberately and without apology, and it consistently lands. The best entry point in the series and the right recommendation after Narwhal and Jelly or Bear and Bird for children ready for something with more prose.
Fit check
Right for your child?
Where it lands by age
- 1
- 3
- 5
- 7
- 9
- 11
- 13
- Best fit · 5–8
- Read aloud · 4–7
- Independent · 6–8
Prose load
Moderate
Visual support
High
Reluctant-reader friendly
Very
Read-aloud quality
Excellent
Works well for
- Reading aloud
- Bedtime
- Reading together
- Gift-buying
- Reluctant readers
Nothing in the book is likely to concern most parents. Safe to recommend without preview.
Bedtime suitability
4 / 5 · Bedtime-friendly
Sensitive-child
4 / 5 · Good fit
Graphic intensity
1 / 5 · None
Best for
- Laugh out loud
- Feel good
- Great read aloud
- Gift book
Avoid if
No common reasons to avoid this one — a rare clean sweep on the sensitivity flags.
Particularly good for children who are…
- Reluctant reader
- Making friends
- Struggling with reading
- Anxiety and worry
- Low self esteem
In the classroom
How it works in school.
A funny, warm early chapter series about friendship and fairness in nature — a lovely class read-aloud and step into chapter books.
A book children love that happens to support school — never a stand-in for the texts a class is taught with. Reviewed for the classroom · June 2026.
Why it lands
Why they love it.
Why kids love it
The specific charm is the odd couple — Rabbit anxious and full of bad habits, Bear philosophical and warm enough to find Rabbit wonderful rather than exhausting. The Rabbit and Bear opener that introduces one of British children's fiction's best friendships.
- Animal companions
- Friendship and belonging
- Adventure and freedom
- Trickery and cleverness
Why parents love it
The Julian Gough series opener — literary novelist-quality prose, Jim Field's illustrations, anxiety and patience as the core dynamic. Strong bridge from Narwhal and Jelly into proper chapter books. Reads beautifully aloud and rewards the adult.
- Shared humour
- Bedtime appropriate
- Quick to read
- Great writing
In the series
Rabbit and Bear.
6 books · open the series →
About the creators
About the creators.
If you liked this
Three ways out of this book.
If you liked this, try…
Lateral matches. Same shelf, different texture.
Come into this from…
Easier or preparing reads — perfect lead-ins.
Where to go next…
Escalation reads — a step up in scale, silliness, or stakes.
More like this…
Books that share themes and topics with this one.
Where you’ll find it
On these reading lists.
Buy or borrow
Pick up a copy.
- Bookshop.org ↗
- Waterstones ↗
- Amazon UK ↗
- Hive ↗
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