Alexis Devine, creator of the wildly popular TikTok account @WhatAboutBunny with over 8.3 million followers, delivers a memoir loaded with wit and passion for animals, as well as the vulnerability and authenticity of a woman who learned to take care of herself by learning to talk to her dog.
When Bunny, a fluffy, black-and-white sheepadoodle, was eight weeks old, her guardian Alexis presented her with an odd gift: a button programed to say "outside." Alexis had received the button as part of a beta test studying augmentative and alternative communication in dogs and cats. Within a few weeks, Bunny had mastered the word "outside." Alexis, encouraged by Bunny's progress, continued to introduce more words, and soon, Bunny was talking.
Three years later, Bunny can now communicate using over 100 buttons, saying phrases like "Love you Mom" and "Ugh why?" In I Am Bunny, a memoir in both essays and photographs, Alexis chronicles not only how Bunny learned to speak, but also the profound impact their journey has had on herself, as caring for Bunny has taught her a new perspective on life and a path to self-love. Because of their deepened relationship and understanding, Alexis has been able to arrest her nearly fatal eating disorder, and following Bunny's example, limit chronic people-pleasing.
With irreverence and humor, daring and heart, Alexis tells the story of how she and Bunny have become so inspiringly close, and how a nonhuman and their guardian can learn from one another.
