Rabbit and Bear have woken in their cave. It’s smelly and messy and Rabbit isn’t happy. Bear points out they’ve eaten all the food and the mess is the result. Rabbit still isn’t happy and imagines the perfect world with no poo.

There are marshmallows and hot chocolate in his vision and no jobs to do, like cleaning up poo. When they emerge from their winter cave, it is nothing like Rabbit imagined. He tries to tell their animal friends of what he’s seen in his head, but they don’t quite see it like he does.

Rabbit and his ever-patient friend Bear set off to look for Rabbit’s perfect world. Bear is just trying to help his wee demanding and difficult friend and stays with him as Rabbit realises his dream isn’t as perfect as first thought.

The 6th book in this delightful series about friendship, learning about others, and in this episode, realising what you already have.

It also features lots and lots of poo. Waking up with it, having to clean it up, trying to avoid it, and ending up waist deep in it!

This of course will appeal to young readers or listeners, and I must admit I laughed out loud several times while reading this. The life advice of tackling a daunting job in small bites to achieve a goal is also a thread throughout. This Lake is Fake is my favourite Rabbit and Bear yet.

Author – Julian Gough

Illustrator – Jim Field

Age – 6+

See the rest of the books in this hilarious series here

(2024, Hachette, Series, Animals, Rabbit, Bear, Poo, Dreams, Visions, Perfect World, Daunting tasks, Friendship, Working together, Cooperation, Funny, Laugh out loud, Humour, Patience, Love)