Rabbit Hill is a novel by Robert Lawson

Robert Lawson (author)

Robert Lawson was an American author and illustrator of children's books. During World War I, he also served as a camouflage artist.-Background:Born in New York City, Lawson spent his early life in Montclair, New Jersey...

 that won the Newbery Medal

Newbery Medal

The John Newbery Medal is a literary award given by the Association for Library Service to Children, a division of the American Library Association . The award is given to the author of the most distinguished contribution to American literature for children. The award has been given since 1922. ...

 for excellence in American children's literature

Children's literature

Children's literature is for readers and listeners up to about age twelve; it is often defined in four different ways: books written by children, books written for children, books chosen by children, or books chosen for children. It is often illustrated. The term is used in senses which sometimes...

 in 1945.

Plot introduction

The story takes place in a place called Rabbit Hill, a country crossroads near Danbury, Connecticut

Danbury, Connecticut

Danbury is a city in northern Fairfield County, Connecticut, United States. It had population at the 2010 census of 80,893. Danbury is the fourth largest city in Fairfield County and is the seventh largest city in Connecticut....

. The animal inhabitants are suffering as the house nearby has been abandoned for several years and the untended gardens, the animals' source of food, have withered to nothing. Then "New Folks" move in to the house. Are the New Folks hunters, or friendly gardeners who will share their crops with the animals?

Literary significance and criticism

Printings of the book beginning in the 1970s and continuing today have removed the character Sulphronia, the new occupants' cook. This was done because she was originally depicted as an African American

African American

African Americans are citizens or residents of the United States who have at least partial ancestry from any of the native populations of Sub-Saharan Africa and are the direct descendants of enslaved Africans within the boundaries of the present United States...

 stereotype

Stereotype

A stereotype is a popular belief about specific social groups or types of individuals. The concepts of "stereotype" and "prejudice" are often confused with many other different meanings...

.

Film and television

"Little Georgie of Rabbit Hill" was a 1967 television adaptation for NBC Children's Theatre.