Book Review of The Best Bunny: The Adventures of Lil Shen
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The Children’s Book Review
What to Expect: Loss, change, uncertainty, emotional resilience, families.
Through a heartwarming story, The Best Bunny: The Adventures of Lil Shen provides a safe and supportive platform for discussing complex topics, empowering parents, educators, and caregivers to guide children through their emotional journeys.
On the day of Lil Shen’s grandmother’s funeral, Lil feels as alone and sad as it is possible to feel. She’s not sure what to expect at the funeral, and then, when she gets there, no one notices her, and no one invites her to say goodbye to her grandmother. Then, she receives something special and unexpected: it’s a present from her grandmother!
Inside the present is a Bunny stuffie, and thanks to Lil’s IMAGINE-A-SHEN, it can talk! Best Bunny tells Lil that it’s okay to cry and be sad and that she doesn’t have to be okay—she just has to try and do her best. With Best Bunny’s encouragement, Lil soon learns how to manage her grief and remember the good times with her grandmother.
Most young children rely on a stuffie or other comfort object for reassurance and emotional support, so the central role played by Best Bunny in this picture book feels very real and very reassuring. The story not only encourages readers to relate to Lil’s feelings of grief and loneliness but also validates those feelings by showing how Lil learns to manage her grief and heal after the loss of her grandmother. Offering reassurance to any reader who has ever felt alone in their emotions, the simple text emphasizes dialogue, and the adorable cartoon-style artwork uses color and expression to help readers interpret and relate to Lil’s emotions.
Gentle, uplifting, and non-triggering, The Best Bunny is a perfect prop for launching conversations with young readers about loss, change, and emotions.
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About the Author
Shenandoah Chefalo is a sought-after speaker, award-winning author, and expert trauma-informed specialist with over 20 years of leadership consulting experience. As the Founder and Lead Strategist of Chefalo Consulting, she provides trauma-informed professional development programs. She leads multi-year systems change projects across various sectors, including health care, human services, education, and nonprofits. Shenandoah Chefalo’s acclaimed 2016 memoir Garbage Bag Suitcase chronicles her challenging youth and healing journey, which has had a significant impact on the foster care system. Her unique perspective, rooted in her lived experience in the system, has led her to advocate for grassroots solutions to the United States’ broken foster care system Shenandoah Chefalo’s debut children’s book, The Best Bunny: Adventures of Lil Shen and Her Inspirational Sidekick Bunny Best, is set to release on July 22, 2025. This heartwarming tale draws inspiration from her own experiences, aiming to inspire resilience and hope in young readers. It’s a perfect example of how her personal journey has influenced her professional work.In addition to her writing, Shenandoah is a graduate of Michigan State University, holding a BA in Interdisciplinary Studies with a focus on Social Science. She has a Core Essentials Certificate from Coach U and a DEI in the Workplace Certificate from the University of South Florida. She is also a Certified Law of Attraction Advanced Practitioner and a member of the National Speakers Association. Beyond her professional endeavors, she volunteers with several organizations locally, nationally, and internationally.
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