Podkin One-Ear by Kieran Larwood

Podkin is next in line to be chieftain in his hollow, but he's not too interested in learning the skills he needs to use.  When they get attacked by the Gorm, only he and his older sister and younger brother escape.  His father dies and he's afraid his mother might have died, too.  He's on the run but he's not sure where to go...

Clarion Books and Net Galley allowed me to read this book for review (thank you).  It will be published September 5th.

Following a note from their mother, they make their way to another rabbit warren, where a lone rabbit resides.  She's a witch and they're not sure if she's kind or not but they find out she is.  They stay there long enough to recover from their run and the cold they suffered.  Then she sends them on again to another hollow that the rabbits who escaped the Gorm are hiding.  It's an overcrowded bad smelling place.  They are looking for a mercenary soldier who will lead them to safe ground and protect them from the Gorms.  All Podkin could trade for was a blind old rabbit who was a soldier in the past.  He's got skills though, even if he doesn't have his sight.

The Gorm keep coming and Podkin and his family try to evade them at each location.  But when Podkin finds where they have caged their captives, he knows his mother is in the bunch and he wants to rescue her.  He puts together a madcap plan, uses the friends he's made, and the witch helps.

The story teller goes through the tale and is asked if he's Podkin.  He assures him he's not.  But there's a little twist at the end of the story that made me smile.

Here's a grand tale of brave rabbits who fight for right and good, how could you not like it?