A CHILDREN’S book based on a true story about how a rabbit taught a mute boy to speak for the first time has been launched.
Bumble Big Ears and a Boy Called Eddie is written by Sandy Huyton, of Douglas, and illustrated by Alex McPherson, of St John’s.
The book was inspired by the events which took place at an island primary school when Sandy’s voluntary organisation, Dolittle’s, was providing one of its regular free therapy sessions to a group of young children, with rabbits, guinea pigs and canaries.
One boy in the group, who had never spoken since birth, had taken a particular interest in Bumble Big Ears and had held him on his lap for several minutes, until it was time for the rabbit to leave.
As the rabbit was being placed into his carrying box, the boy said the word Bumble – the first word he had ever spoken in school.
The moment unlocked his mutism and he has since learned to speak normally.
The star of the book, a three-year-old dwarf lop rabbit named Bumble Big Ears, attended the launch at The Strand Shopping Centre, Douglas.
Bumble Big Ears and a Boy Called Eddie also features illustrations by children from all the special needs units at the island’s primary schools. These illustrations were also on display at the shopping centre.
The book is available to buy from all Isle of Man bookshops and via email {mailto:dolittles@manx.net|dolittles(at)manx.net}.
All proceeds (costing £6.99 each) will go to maintain the work of Dolittle’s.
