Marilyn Courtot (Children's Literature)
Some of us grew up hearing the tales of Bruh Rabbit and weren't we the fortunate ones. Alice McGill, a professional storyteller and author, has taken her hand to some of the stories that she heard while she was growing up. Her retellings are wonderful. They have just enough dialect to give them the flavor of their southern heritage. And each of the five stories moves at a perfect pace and will entrance young listeners as well as those who are old enough to read. They will love that very crafty Bruh Rabbit who manages to outwit all of his fellow creatures as well as Mr. Man. The scenes are described and while the art is not exactly what one might expect with these tales, it does grow on the reader. At first glace the characters appear to be too static and a bit like those from a Hanna Barbera cartoon, but they are fascinating creations of clay that became the models for the acrylic paintings. I really grew to like that poor Bruh Possum who was taken in by the crafty snake. McGill provides a good introduction and also brief material about each of the stories. She repeats the moral or lesson and ends it the way old time storytellers did, "And that's all to it." Sure as Sunrise is a delightful way to introduce a new generation to these stories that had their roots in the slave society of the South and further back in Africa. 2004, Houghton Mifflin, $17.00. Ages 5 up.

Kirkus (Kirkus Reviews, April 1, 2004 (Vol. 72, No. 7))
Veteran talespinner McGill looks back to her North Carolina childhood for five trickster tales, three featuring Bruh Rabbit. Cast in country cadences, they're just right for reading-or for telling. Bruh Rabbit is snagged not by a tar baby, but by his love of music in "Please don't Fling Me in the Briar Patch." He's himself tricked out of "Looking to Get Married" and cleverly convinces gullible Bruh Fox to take his place in "Bruh Rabbit's Mystery Bag." A sample: " 'WHO THAT UP THERE?' somebody on the ground hollered. 'Who that down there?' Bruh Rabbit asked, twitching around in the sack. 'Who that up there saying "WHO THAT?" when I say, 'WHO THAT?' the same voice came back." McGill adds commentary before and after each tale, giving Joel Chandler Harris his due, but no more than that. Tate illustrates with close-up scenes of sculpted-looking animals in rural dress, often viewed from very low angles to create aptly exaggerated perspectives. Most of these are available in other versions, but the reteller has made them new with some delicious twists. (lengthy introduction) 2004, Houghton Mifflin, 48p, $17.00. Category: Folktales. Ages 7 to 11. © 2004 Kirkus Reviews/VNU eMedia, Inc. All rights reserved.

Wendy S. Carroll (Library Media Connection, January 2005)
Alice McGill introduces readers to five Bruh Rabbit stories from her childhood in North Carolina. Bruh (meaning brother) Rabbit tells the first story, "Please Don't Fling Me in the Briar Patch." He notices Bruh Bear, Sis Possum, Sis Dog, and Bruh Fox walking with a big yellow kerchief tied to his hoe. Bruh Rabbit watches them tie the kerchief to an oak tree and leave. It smells so good that Bruh Rabbit climbs the tree and loosens the knot, which causes the kerchief and him to fall out of the tree. Inside the kerchief is a piece of cheese and cake still warm from the oven. Bruh Rabbit gobbles it up. When the others return and find their dinner gone they scream that somebody stole their cheese and bread. They discover Bruh Rabbit's tracks and decide to teach him a lesson. There are four more stories: "Bruh Possum & the Snake," "How the Critters Got Groceries," "Bruh Rabbit's Mystery Bag," and "Looking to Get Married." There are explanations at the beginning and end of each story, detailing the origin of the story. The artwork is acrylic paint on textured paper that complements the stories. The southern dialect might be difficult for young children to read. Recommended. 2004, Houghton Mifflin, 48pp., $17 hc. Ages 5 to 11.

Janice M. Del Negro (The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books, April 2004 (Vol. 57, No. 8))
McGill, a storyteller of note, offers in these five tales the liveliness she recalls from her own early listening, as described in her introduction. The collection includes variants that will be familiar to story listeners as well as story readers: "Please Don't Fling Me in the Briar Patch," "Bruh Possum & the Snake," and "How the Critters Got Groceries" (with the repeated refrain "Is it deep enough?") nestle alongside the lesser-known stories "Bruh Rabbit's Mystery Bag" and "Looking to Get Married." Each tale opens with a brief note by McGill, either explaining something in the tale or recalling when, where, or from whom she heard the story. The language is immediate and energizing, with a colloquial voice that lends itself smoothly to reading aloud and storytelling. The full- and half-page acrylic paintings lack the rich warmth of McGill's retelling; their shiny slickness jars with the pastoral content of the tales and the tonal similarity of the palette undercuts the impact of the compositions, but readers will still appreciate the slapstick of their broad humor. This isn't quite up to the standard of Julius Lester's landmark collection (starting with Tales of Uncle Remus, BCCB 7/87), but it should be a welcome addition to collections seeking accessible versions of African-American folktales. (Reviewed from galleys) Review Code: R -- Recommended. (c) Copyright 2004, The Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois. 2004, Houghton, 48p, $17.00. Grades 4-6.

Horn Book (The Horn Book Guide, Fall 2004)
The richness of African-American folklore is brought to life in five funny stories of the trickster, remembered from the author's North Carolina childhood. The introduction acknowledges the place of Joel Chandler Harris in making the stories available, but McGill credits her neighbors in telling them in more authentic and economical language. The exaggerated humor of the acrylic paintings echoes the stories. Category: Nonfiction-Folktales and Nursery Rhymes. 2004, Houghton, 48pp, $17.00. Ages 5 to 9. Rating: 3: Recommended, satisfactory in style, content, and/or illustration.

Kate Coleman (The Kutztown University Book Review, Spring 2005)
This book is compiled of stories from “long-ago”. The same stories the author was told when she was a child. Here, Bruh Rabbit and his acquaintances take the reader on adventures through the country side. The author captures the essence of characters by not disturbing their dialect and provides enlightening reflections before and after each tale. I would recommend this book for kindergarten through third grade students. It is delightful. The bright illustrations are full of color and unique style. The illustrator used clay figures for characters then, captured them with oil paints. The stories reveal a piece of American heritage. I would use this book for Black History Month. Category: Folklore, Children’s Literature. 2004, Houghton Mifflin Company, $17.00. Ages 6 to 9.