Dressing Down! Something's Wrong by Jory John

Bear wakes when the alarm clock rings and begins his morning routine. Bath? Check! Water plants? Check! Breakfast? Check! Comb fur? Check! Try on gift from Grandma? Check!

"HMMM! WHY DO I STILL FEEL LIKE I'M FORGETTING SOMETHING?"

"SOMETHING IS OFF!"

Actually it's what he has on! Everyone he meets along the way acts flustered and fidgety when they see him. They fumble for words and give him THE LOOK, but no one says anything!

But when he walks away, we find out why. Deer mutters to himself:

"WHY IS THAT BEAR WEARING UNDERWEAR?"

Deer stands frozen in the creek asking himself the same question. So does Raccoon, who falls flat out of his tree, and Fox, who is fairly flummoxed at the very sight of Bear. Finally Bear, befuddled, has to find out what it is about him that is causing their uneasiness.

"SOMETHING IS WRONG!"

"I NEED A TRUSTED FRIEND WHO WILL BE HONEST WITH ME!"

And Bear knows that that friend is Anders the Hare, who asks the unspoken question on everyone's mind.

"COULD IT BE THAT YOU LEFT THE HOUSE WEARING UNDERWEAR?"

"GULP!"

Bear looks down and sees that he's still wearing Grandma's gift, a pair of too brief whities, too "tighty" and already beginning to split down the backside. He's absolutely mortified, until good friend Anders takes a page from Tom Sawyer whitewashing his fence, to convince the others that they need a certain undergarment to join the in-group, in the New York Times' best-selling kids' humorist Jory John's latest comic tale, Something's Wrong!: A Bear, a Hare, and Some Underwear (Farrar Straus and Giroux, 2021).

Author Jory John's attire advisory is ably assisted by the clever cartoon illustrations of Erin Kraan, whose final spread pictures all the forest animals, now nattily attired in their stylish whitie tighties. This newest picture book comedy imparts a bit of social wisdom and is guaranteed to deliver gallons of giggles for any group of early graders!

Quips Kirkus Reviews, "This underwear affair is wise, witty, and just brief enough.”

Suitable for All Occasions! BEAR Is a BEAR by Jonathan Stutzman

BEAR IS A BEAR FULL OF LOVE.

BEAR IS A SOFT, WARM PILLOW.

BEAR IS A NEW FRIEND.

To a young one, a big toy bear can be many things, a soft, snuggly sleeping partner, a special guest at a tea party, a lusty pirate, a fellow ghost for Halloween, and a big, strong protector in a scary storm. He goes on wild explorations outdoors, shares a story book or a telescope under a starry sky. . . He dries tears and shares hours of too much homework.

And then, when the child has grown and moves out into the big world, Bear goes into a storage chest.

BEAR IS A MEMORY.

But...

BEAR IS REMEMBERED....

BEAR is not forgotten in Jonathan Stutzman's just published masterwork, Bear Is a Bear (HarperCollins, 2021). This well remembered childhood toy is resurrected, an old friend who becomes a new companion for another child in another time.

Beautifully illustrated by Caldecott Medal artist Dan Santat, this just-published book joins stories those other memorable "lovies" of childhood, one to comfort and love and to live again in the life of another child. In the love of the giver--parent, grandparent, or family friend, such a Bear looms large in the life of a child who loves and depends on him, working the magic of a special toy, it seems, into the next generation.

Whether that special toy is stored away or just a well-remembered childhood friend, it livea in our minds as long as we have memories. Says Booklist, "... a tender and surprising tribute to the beloved companions of our childhoods."

Summertime Pail Tale! Blueberry Cake by Sarah Dillard

"BLUEBERRY CAKE?"

Baby Bear and Mama Bear are in the kitchen, and Baby Bear knows just what he wants to eat. But Mama knows what they need to fill that request. She hands Baby Bear a big red bucket.

"BLUEBERRIES."

Baby Bear sets off and makes his way through the woods until he finds a big field of blueberry bushes and fills his red pail with the juicy fruit, only to find the big juicy blueberries are just too tempting. He eats all he can hold and then jumps up to chase a butterfly, spilling the rest of the berries.

Baby Bear tries to placate Mama Bear by filling the pail with fresh-picked flowers, heading back home, and is seemingly surprised and sad that there are no berries in his bucket. At the door Mama Bear gives him THE LOOK--

"NO BLUEBERRIES?"

"NO BLUEBERRY CAKE!!"

Sadly Baby Bear goes to bed cake-less, but when he wakes up at dawn, he knows just what to do to get his blueberry cake. And when Mama Bear comes down to the kitchen, there is the red pail, full to the brink with blueberries. And SOON, there is...

BLUEBERRY CAKE!

Sarah Dillard's brand-new Blueberry Cake (Aladdin Books, 2021) provides a tasteful story with minimalist text and skillfully drawn illustrations that tell the story sweetly for preschoolers and early readers, but with a premise as old as human hunter-gatherers.

The interplay between mother and child is deliciously told with simple lines and facial expressions by author-illustrator Dillard, whose endearing afterword describes happy childhood visits to her grandmother's Maine coast kitchen where blueberry cake was also on the menu. This one is perfect for sharing with preschoolers and primary readers alike. Adds Booklist, "Dillard’s latest picture book shows how much can be done with a limited number of words (blueberry, blueberries, cake, flowers, oh, no, and applesauce), a period, a question mark, and an exclamation point.

For fruitful fall reads, share this one with Robert McClosky's classic, Blueberries for Sal, and taking the hint from Baby Bear's closing request for applesauce, with Gail Gibbons' evergreen The Seasons of Arnold's Apple Tree.

Too Much of A Good Thing? The Bruce Swap by Ryan T. Higgins

There was a forest in front of the little cabin Bruce the curmudgeonly bear shared with three goslings and four mice.

Sure, it's the North Woods, so there are some evergreens around the lake, but Bruce's yard was mostly a forest of signs beginning with the word NO--NO TALKING, NO SWIMMING, NO FISHING, NO CAMPING, NO PICNICKING, NO TRESPASSING...! Bruce was no fun. The mice longed for adventures. The geese just wanted--sandwiches!

ONE MORNING THERE WAS A LETTER IN THE MAILBOX AT 13 GO AWAY LANE!

It was a letter from Bruce's fun-loving cousin Kevin, saying he's coming for a fun-filled vacation. But nobody knew that--because one of the goslings ate the letter. So on the day of fun-loving Kevin's arrival, nobody knew they were about to have guests! Bruce went fishing, leaving a note, but one of the goslings ate that, so nobody knew that either.

So when fun-loving Kevin arrived with outdoor equipment and a bag of sandwiches, the mice and geese thought he was Bruce. But not the party-pooping Bruce they knew. This was a different Bruce.

"ALL OUR WISHES HAVE COME TRUE!" SAID THISTLE.

"WAIT! THIS MUST BE BRUCE'S DOPPELGANGER!" SAID RUPERT.

"DINGLE POOPER?" ASKED NIBB.

But no matter! This version of Bruce was nothing but fun. He gave them all the candy they could eat and then inspired a candy battle. He pulled out a pogo stick and hopped all over the cabin. He ordered endless pizzas. Then he flooded the cabin to make an indoor swimming pool. His rowdy buddies showed up and finished wrecking the cabin, so the party moved outside. Dingle Pooper Bruce taped Rupert to a kite and sent him up for his first flight. The cabin and yard were a dreadful MESS! Since MESS is not fun, fun-loving Kevin and his chums piled into their van and left the premises.

SOME OF THE FUN WAS.... QUESTIONABLE.

"NO MORE FUN! NO, NO, NO! PLEASE!" THE GOSLINGS PLEADED.

THEY ALL WISHED FOR REGULAR BRUCE TO COME BACK!

There's such a thing as too much fun for the mice and goslings, who were actually glad to see the real party-pooper Bruce putt-putting back up the road on his motor skooter, in Ryan T. Higgins' latest in his Mother Bruce series, The Bruce Swap (Disney Press, 2021). (But at least there's plenty of pizza left over!)

Author-illustrator Higgins combines hilarious comic illustrations, oddball family affection, and one of children's literature's greatest grumpy bears in his Mother Bruce series, which began with Mother Bruce (Mother Bruce, Book 1) (Mother Bruce Series, 1)

"A gentle, silly picture book about balancing fun and responsibility," says Kirkus Reviews

When Winter Comes Knocking: A Story For Small Bear by Alice B. McGinty

 

WHEN A LATE AUTUMN WIND SWIRLED INTO THE DEN AFTER NOONTIME NAP, SMALL BEAR SHIVERED. Brrrrr!

"I SMELL FROST," SAID MAMA. "TONIGHT WE START OUR WINTER SLUMBER."

This comes as news to Small Bear. And she begins to worry, snuggling up to Mama to ask an important question.

"WILL YOU TELL ME STORIES BEFORE WE SLEEP?"

Mama Bear assured Small Bear that there will be time for stories IF she doesn't dilly dally in getting ready for hibernation.

Small Bear agrees, but it's hard to say goodnight when the sun is rising in the sky and her favorite hole in the Spruce is so comfy to climb into and it's so much fun to climb high in the fragrant branches. But she remembers what Mama said and collect spruce twigs to make a warm bed in their den. She joins Mama as they shimmy and shake off the dirt from their fur in the pond, its waters warmed by the midday sun. It's hard to resist spending the afternoon eating the acorns under the oak tree and the extra fat acorns that are still waiting for nibbling in the top branches.

The forest is filled with food and fun. But Small Bear must not dilly-dally! The sun seems to be setting. And where is Mama now?

"MAMA!?!"

Small Bear hurries back to find Mama, and inside their den their fresh-smelling bedding is waiting.

"STORIES?"

Hibernation means a long bedtime and lots of stories, beginning with...

"ONCE UPON A TIME THERE WAS A SMALL BEAR WHO LOVED TO DILLY DALLY...."

And we all know what happens after hibernation, but Small Bear will have to wait for that one, in A Story for Small Bear (Schwartz & Wade, 2020). McGinty's storytelling is sweet and lovely, as are Richard Jone's soft-hued illustrations of a loving mother and a child who longs to play and to please. Hibernation means a long bedtime, but we, dear readers, know that story will end with the joys of springtime to come.

"... Forest scenes play out, together with McGinty’s expert prose and pacing.” says Publishers Weekly's starred review.

The Bare Facts: Those Are Not My Underpants! by Melissa Martin

One morning when Bear Cub comes outside, he notices something unexpected hanging on a limb right out his door. Clearly someone had misplaced a pair of underwear. Bear Cub has simply got to get to the bottom of this!

"HI, SQUIRREL," HE SAYS. "ARE THESE YOUR UNDERPANTS?"

"NO. THERE'S NO HOLE FOR MY TAIL!" SQUEEKS SQUIRREL.

Turtle's no tattletale. He shows off the striped undershorts under his shell. Oh, well. Bear Cub moves on until he meets Owl, who says owls only wear sparkly briefs. Beside a rushing stream, he questions Salmon, who says he only wears sleek swim trunks.

In his cave, Bat, already hanging upside down from the ceiling, shows off his glow-in-the-dark bikini bottoms. Skunk sniffs the scanty panties and ventures that they don't stink enough to be his!

Then Bear Cub spots snake's head sticking out of his hole.

"HI, SNAKE! ARE THESE YOUR UNDERPANTS?

"NO!"

"ARE YOU SURE?"

"YES. SNAKES ONLY WEAR L-O-O-O-N-G UNDERWEAR!"

They are not Beaver's briefs either. He blushes and says that beavers are too shy to show off their underpants. And when questioned, Moose points out that he has to wear Extra Large underwear!

Bear Cub's case is about out of suspects. Back home, Mama Bear spots him with the mysterious tightie whities in hand.

"BEAR CUB! WHY ARE YOU CARRYING YOUR UNDERPANTS AROUND? I WASHED AND HUNG THEM OUT TO DRY LAST NIGHT!"

Looking down, now it's Bear Cub's turn to blush!

The case of the bare bear is solved, in Melissa Martin's newest, Those Are Not My Underpants! For the reading circle bunch, any mention of unmentionables, be they briefs or lingerie, is a sure-fire giggle getter, and with the award-winning artist Troy Cummings' lighthearted illustrations, this story promises a laugh a minute.

Says Booklist, "A solid contribution to that important children’s book category, adorable animals wearing underwear!"

Haste Makes Waste! Bear Can't Wait! by Karma Wilson

It's a fine sunny day, but the Bear is in a fidget as he ties a festive bowtie and paces to and fro.

"WHY IS TIME SO SLOW?"

What's all this fluster and guster about?

BEAR CAN'T WAIT!

Into Bear's cave, Badger brings a bucket of fresh-dug carrots for the cake. Badger brings berries and confetti. Raven comes in with a candle, and Owl flutters in with fresh flowers.

BEAR FRETS AND HE FIDDLES.

HE WIGGLES AND HE TWIDDLES.

BEAR... CAN'T... WAIT.

But Racoon bakes up the carrot cake, while Mole and Mouse stir up the frosting. But then, Bear just has to help!

"LET ME DO THE CAKE

AND HE TRIPS BY MISTAKE!

With a splat! Bear squashes the cake flat, all just because Bear couldn't WAIT!

Mouse takes charge, ordering Bear to hustle his bustle. The party starts in an hour!

"GET MORE CARROTS, HONEY, AND FLOUR!"

Haste makes waste, all right, but moving fast sometimes saves the day and this time...

. . . BEAR DOESN'T WAIT!

All's well, as the finishing touches on the second cake are done just in time fpr the birthday boy, Hare, to hop in for the surprise birthday party, in Karma Wilson's tenth book in her best-selling series, Bear Can't Wait (The Bear Books) (Margaret K. Elderry Books, 2021). Artist Jane Chapman outdoes herself in her gloriously charming illustrations of kids' favorite forest friends and their favorite host with the most, Bear.

Karma Wilson's plots, told in jolly quatrains as they are, also skillfully focus on Bear as he takes on some of the sources of strong early childhood emotions and getting by with a little help from his friends. A must-have for collections for preschoolers who can't wait (and who among them can?) and perfect for early readers who want to read their favorite ursine character's latest story.

Only the Lonely! The Big House and the Little House by Yoshi Fujishima

ON A GENTLE SLOPE ROSE A LONG, LONG ROAD. AT ONE END WAS A LITTLE HOUSE, STANDING ALONE.

AT THE OTHER END OF THE ROAD WAS A BIG HOUSE, SURROUNDED BY TREES.

In the little house lives Mouse, who goes down the hill to work every day in the town bakery. In the big house lives Bear, who goes up the the hill each day to work in the forest. Both of them are lonely but they never meet during the week. But one Sunday they both decide to do something different. Mouse walks up the hill toward the forest. Bear starts downhill toward the town. They pass on the road but Bear's steps are so long and Mouse is so small that they don't even see each other. And when they reach their destinations, Mouse feels even more alone when he sees the happy piknickers in the woods, and Bear sees that he is the only one not shopping with friends or sharing a snack at an outdoor restaurant.

Both of them head back to to their houses, feeling more lonely than ever. But this time the two cross paths in front of Bear's house.

"HELLO!" SAYS MOUSE.

HELLO!" SAYS BEAR. "I LIVE HERE. WOULD YOU LIKE TO HAVE A CUP OF TEA?"

The two have a wonderful conversation and agree to meet for tea at Mouse's house on the following Sunday. But when Bear strikes out for Mouse's little house, a terrible storm strikes. The road floods, and Bear fears that Mouse's little house will be washed away.

"HOLD TIGHT, LITTLE MOUSE, I HAVE AN IDEA!"

And Mouse is lucky that his new friend Bear is big and strong enough to re-locate Mouse's tiny house under a sheltering tree right beside his own, where they can meet for tea anytime, in Yoshi Fujishma's sweet story of friendship found, The Big House and the Little House (Levine Querido, 2021). Emiko Fujishima's simple pastel illustrations add to the charm of this a cheery tale that says that an unexpected companion may be right under your nose, waiting for a simple invitation. "Tender and companionable," says Kirkus Reviews.

Campout! Raj And The Best Vacation EVER! by Sebastien Braun

 

DAD AND I ARE GOING ON A TRIP. I KNOW IT'S GOING TO BE THE BEST VACATION EVER.

"ARE WE GOING TO ANTARCTICA?" ASKS RAJ.

There's so much equipment to load in the car. Raj helps as they fill the trunk and load a roof carrier with camping stuff!. But there's no canoe, and Raj wants a canoe trip.

It's a long way. They play car games. They sing "Wheels on the Bus!" Raj asks "Are we there yet?" several times. But at last they pull into the camp, pulling in right behind a minibus with a bear family inside. The Bears quickly put up their huge tent. Raj's dad has quite a struggle.

"HANG ON. WHERE DOES THIS POLE GO?"

"... TERRIBLE INSTRUCTIONS!... MUMBLE..."

"...THIS IS HARDER THAN IT LOOKS... MUMBLE GRUMBLE..."

The Bears offer help, but Dad declines, determined to do it himself. When the tent is finally done and they crawl into their sleeping bags, Raj decides he really, really has to go to the camp rest room. Dad trips on a tent stay on the way back in the dark.

In the morning Dad grumbles about wet matches when he tries to start the camp stove. The Bears offer to share their breakfast spread, but Dad wants to do it himself. They finally eat cereal for breakfast, and leave for their hike up the mountain. The Bear family pass them on the way up, singing jolly marching songs.

But after lunch, Dad has a surprise for Raj. They rent a canoe and set off down river. The man at Knut's Canoes calls out a warning as they paddle off.

"DON'T FORGET TO TURN LEFT AT THE SIGN!"

It doesn't take a Shakespeare to guess what happens next! It seems if you don't turn left, you will be heading for the waterfall downstream.

Sometimes doing it yourself is a good idea, but when your canoe is heading for a small waterfall, it's good to have some experienced friends handy. The veteran camping experts, the Bear Family, pitches in on the rescue, and all's well that ends with campfire-toasted marshmallows among friends, in Sebastien Braun's story of adventures in the big woods, Raj and the Best Vacation Ever! (Templar Books, 2021).

A nice plug for friendly cooperation, this is a fun read-aloud story of the ups and downs of family camp-outs, and veteran camper kids will doubtless be happy to chime in with their own family campout adventures and misadventures. As Kirkus Reviews puts it, "A sweet and satisfying book about a vacation that goes wrong before it goes right."

For more adventures with Raj, see Braun's first book, Raj and the Best Day Ever.

Alter Ego: Bear Outside by Jane Yolen

SOME FOLKS HAVE A LION INSIDE, OR A TIGER. NOT ME.

I WEAR MY BEAR ON THE OUTSIDE.

With her bear, like a suit of armor around her, the girl feels safe. In school he raises his big paw when he knows she knows the answer, and so does she. He keeps her safe when she climbs a tree and he reads books with her in their special tent at home. He protects her when she rides a bike and does fancy moves on her roller skates. Bear goes along when she does good deeds for the neighbors.

I TAKE CARE OF BEAR, AND BEAR TAKES CARE OF ME.

They pick juicy berries and find honey hives, and they're never afraid of the bees. At dinner they share--a chicken leg for her and the salad for her bear.

Sometimes they don't quite agree on blue or red.

SOMETIMES WE MAKE PURPLE INSTEAD.

And at bedtime when Mom leaves on the night light... she doesn't care.

IT'S FOR BEAR.

It's one for all and all for one with this girl and her alter ego, a big brown bear to share her fun and fears with, in Jane Yolen's latest, Bear Outside (Neal Porter Books/Holiday House, 2021). An imaginary friend with plenty of clout, a big, furry bear is on the lookout through the day at school or play. And what kid wouldn't want a bear to always have his or her back?

Author Jane Yolen, author of the Caldecott-winning Owl Moon and the best-selling series beginning with How Do Dinosaurs Say Goodnight, shares the honors this time with illustrator Jen Corace, whose brown bear is both brawny and cuddly and a bit transparent as an imaginary bear should be.

"Corace’s art perfectly matches Yolen’s words in this nuanced exploration of our inner selves," writes The New York Times Book Review."

Smile, Darn Ya! Bunny Will Not Smile by Jason Tharp

"HEY THERE! MY NAME IS BIG"

"I HAVE A PROBLEM OVER HERE ON THE NEXT PAGE...

"BUNNY WILL NOT SMILE!"

Big Blue Bear is always trying to get Bunny to do stuff. And Bunny likes to say, "NOPE!"

Bear tries bribing Bunny with bunches and bunches of carrots. Bunny is apparently bored with bunches of carrots. So Big tries dressing up like a clown and making silly balloon people. Bunny is not amused. Bear tries boisterous busking with a rock band. Bupkis!

Bear has to bring in the experts. He challenges his readers to do something super silly.

"OKAY. GET IN REAL CLOSE SO BUNNY CANNOT HEAR!"

"I NEED YOU TO MAKE A SUPER SILLY FACE."

And Bear's readers are more than on board with that idea, and Bunny bursts into a big wide grin, in Jason Tharp's Ready to Read book, Bunny Will Not Smile!: Ready-to-Read Level 1 (Ready-to-Reads) (Simon Spotlight). Author-illustrator Tharp's interactive easy readers are certain to bring at least a smile to the kids who can read this one out loud when they see Big Blue Bear's selfie of himself and Bunny, both with big smiles. Check out Tharp's other Bear and Bunny book, Bunny Will Not Be Quiet! (Ready-to-Reads) and his latest, It's Okay to Be a Unicorn! and his silly skunk in It's Okay to Smell Good!

Arctic Rescue: Pup and Bear by Kate Banks

In a sudden thaw, a lone wolf pup is separated from his pack alone on an ice floe. As the wind blows him further from the land, he jumps into the sea and swims back to the shore. Freezing and exhausted, he falls asleep in the shelter of a snowbank.

HE WOKE TO THE FEEL OF A COLD NOSE.

."YOU ARE A POLAR BEAR."

YOU ARE NOT MY MOTHER." SAID THE LITTLE WOLF.

"NO," SAID THE BEAR, "BUT I CAN CUDDLE YOU AND KEEP YOU SAFE."

"POLAR BEARS EAT WOLVES," HE SAID FEARFULLY.

>"NOT THIS ONE!" SHE SAID.

So the little wolf climbed up on the polar bear's wide back and slept warmly with her in her snug den. The next morning she takes him across the tundra and down to the sea to teach him to catch fish and show him the seals, lemmings, the geese and puffins, and a walrus. She washes him clean with her rough tongue and teaches him how to play, rolling head over heels down the snowbanks. Slowly the air grew warmer.

"I AM NOT YOUR MOTHER, BUT I KNOW IT'S TIME FOR YOU TO GO."

And with a last nuzzle, the young wolf walks away into the world, where the he finds other wolves and in time becomes the leader of a pack. And then one day, he comes upon a lost little polar bear, shivering and afraid, all alone.

"YOU ARE NOT MY MOTHER," SAID THE COWERING CUB.

"I AM NOT...," SAID THE WOLF. "BUT I CAN CUDDLE YOU AND KEEP YOU WARM."

"YOU CAN STAY WITH ME UNTIL YOU ARE BIG ENOUGH TO BE ON YOUR OWN."

One kind deed deserves another, in Kate Banks beautiful story of a kindness that begets yet another, Pup and Bear (Schwartz and Wade). In lovely language, this charming reworking of the famous fable of care for others tells an emotionally moving story, supported by artist Naoko Stoop's beautifully simple illustrations of the snowy northern landscape that plays an important role in this parable of caring. Share this one with Matthew Cordell's 2018 Caldecott Medal winner, Wolf in the Snow. (Read my review here.)

School Library Journal says, "The lyrical writing makes this a wonderful read-aloud. This story of extraordinary kindness may also prompt a discussion of diverse families."

Ready to Read, Ready to Roll! Roller Bears by Eric Seltzer

Spring has sprung and the bears are up and ready to roll!

THEY WAKE UP EARLY AND SKATE UNTIL LATE!

The bears suit up in helmets and pads in red and blue and roll out for fun on wheels. What do they do? Some skate solo, and some in pairs, and when they get tired, they snooze in big chairs!

They skate to the park to swing and slide. And then they go for a hot-air balloon ride. They plan for a party and arrive from afar. Some row their own boat, some drive in a car. One bear brings a cake in the shape of a skate. There are presents and things to drink, and bears dressed in pink who skate in a rink.

But autumn comes and then it grows chilly. They hang up their skates. The bears just can't wait. They take to their beds to hibernate!

Eric Seltzner's early beginning reader, Roller Bears (Ready-to-Reads) (Simon Spotlight, 2020), illustrated whimsically by Tom Disbury, uses rhyme and rhythm and visual cues to help early readers who are ready to roll to sound out the vocabulary in this short and lively Ready to Read book.

What's NOT New? Brown Bear Starts School by Sue Tarsky

It was Brown Bear's first day of school. He was wearing his new sweater and his new scarf.

He was carrying his new book bag, with his new notebook and his new pencil case, filled with new pencils and erasers. He even had a new lunch box.

Everything is NEW, and Brown Bear doesn't feel comfortable with all this NEW.

Mom tells him that his school may be new to him, but a lot of his old friends are going to be students there. Brown Bear feels a little better. But he has another worry.

"What if I can't hear the teacher?" he asks.

His mom gives him a quizzical look.

"Can you hear me?" she asks.

Uh-huh. But Brown Bear has more worries. What if his clothes look funny? Mom assures him that, in that case, they can shop for different clothes that very afternoon.

And when they head out to school, Little Bear sees his friend, dressed just like him with a new book bag and lunch box, too. In fact, most of the other new students look very familiar. And when one of his friends kicks a ball out into the street, his teacher Miss Zipper is proud that Brown Bear knows to tell her not to run after it into the busy street. All's well with all the kids confessing to first-day jitters, in Sue Tarsky's Brown Bear Starts School. A first-day story with a a just-right combination of new and old, with illustrator Marina Aizan's sweet, toy-like little characters with a can-do attitude. Pair this one with Mo Willems' first-day hit, The Pigeon HAS to Go to School!

It's a No-Go! Edward Almost Sleeps Over by Rosemary Wells

It was a snowy day when Edwards' mother answered the ring of the telephone. It is Anthony's mother, inviting Edward over to build a snowbear in the backyard.

"WON'T IT BE FUN TO PLAY IN THE SNOW AT ANTHONY'S HOUSE!" SAYS EDWARD'S FATHER.

As he is bundled in his snowsuit and buckled into the car for the trip, Edward is not so sure. He makes his parents promise to come back for him
soon. They promise.

Anthony is waiting with a cookie for Edward, and they do have a good time in the snow. But soon new snow begins to fall hard.

SOON IT WAS SNOWING SO HARD THEY COULD NOT SEE.

Inside Anthony's house, Edward has just begun to drink his cocoa when the phone rings. It's his parents. His mother says the roads are too snowy for driving.

"YOU'LL HAVE TO SPEND THE NIGHT AT ANTHONY'S HOUSE," SAID EDWARD'S MOTHER.

But Edward does not feel brave. He feels sad. He's not hungry for supper and he's not sleepy at bedtime, not even when he gets to wear Anthony's new pajamas.

Suddenly Anthony's mother puts on her parka and goes out to shovel a path to the car. Anthony's dad crawls under the car to put the chains on the tires.

"I WASN'T QUITE READY FOR OVERNIGHTS UNTIL I WAS 21!" HE CONFESSED.

And they drove right behind the snowplow all the way to Edward's house.

Edward wasn't quite ready for that first overnight, in Rosemary Wells' sweet snow story in her Edward Almost Ready series, Edward Almost Sleeps Over (Edward Almost Ready Book 1) (Open Road Media). Celebrated author-illustrator Rosemary Wells is the master of sensitive stories about preschoolers, letting her charming illustrations of toddler animal characters reveal the feelings involved in those encounters with new experiences, especially for the almost-ready among her fans, as well as the all-too-ready fearless and indomitable Max in her sweet and funny Max and Ruby series, as in Max's Chocolate Chicken (Max and Ruby) and Max's Christmas (Max and Ruby).

The Blowout! Bruce's Big Storm by Ryan T. Higgins

Bruce was not a bear who liked neighbors.

Actually, Bruce doesn't like anybody. In fact, Bruce is a curmudgeonly, self-centered, introverted bear who only likes one thing--hibernating solo.

He once liked eggs, but when he swiped Mrs. Goose's eggs from her nest and put them in a pan of water to boil, he hatched goslings, goslings who imprinted on him and, like it or not, he became... MOTHER GOOSE BRUCE.

Bruce may be anti-social, but he is dutiful. Now living in the North Woods with his brood and their mice pets, Bruce finds that even there he still has neighbors

But none of them stayed very long... until the day of the big storm.

While the winds roar and the tempest rages, all of Bruce's neighbors decide to take shelter in his house. It's a bit crowded. But then Nibbs the mouse spies a little rabbit outside in the storm and he and the duteous Bruce dash out with their umbrella to save the little fellow. But the wind catches the umbrella and the three are all airborne. Are Bruce, Nibbs, and the bunny on a one-way flight to Fairbanks?

It's the neighbors to the rescue, even when Bruce's cabin is blown away, in Ryan T. Higgins' latest installment in the saga of Mother Bruce, Bruce's Big Storm (Mother Bruce Series) (Hyperion, 2019). Ryan T. Higgins' illustrations of the perpetually grumpy but dogged Bruce never fail to get laughs from the picture book set. The New York Times best-selling author's wickedly funny cartooning scores again, just as it did in his super Kindergartner hit, We Don't Eat Our Classmates and the whole Mother Goose Bruce series. (Read reviews here.)

Beware! Let's Scare Bear by Yuko Katakawa

Mouse has just poured the green tea, and Spider, Fox, and Snake are assembled inside his hollow tree home to join him for their favorite snack!

Manju cake!

But just as they are about to chow down they hear heavy footsteps.

THUMP THUMP!

Bear was passing by!

Suddenly Mouse gets the urge to give big old Bear a scare. Fox gives it his best shot, daring to bare his fangs at the strongest animal in the woods. Bear bares his huge teeth and laughs at fox.

Spider spins his stickiest web, but Bear bats his way through it handily. Snake coils all around Bear, but one flex of his mighty muscles and Bear is free. Mouse's little BOO turns into a squeak when Bear dangles him by his tail and laughs an even bigger laugh.

"Only one thing scares me," said Bear.

The others waited breathlessly.

"Manju cake!" said Bear.

The horror, the very thought of manju, makes Bear, with a shiver and a shake, scuttle away to the safety of his den.

The others look at each other. They know what they have to do!

Giving Bear a few minutes to chill out, they take their whole plate of cakes and ....

They tossed, pitched, heaved, and volleyed all their manju cakes into Bear's cave.

Yuko Katakawa's traditional Japanese tale, Let's Scare Bear (Holiday House, 2019), ends with a few crumbs of the feast, one well-fed Bear, and and lots of laughs. There's nothing so satisfying as a well-paced trickster tale to tickle kid's giggles and give the would-be tricksters their due comeuppance, and Katakawa's charming illustrations tell the story well. Savvy youngsters may even notice the parallel with the American folktale of "The Tar Baby."

Says School Library Journal,"Katakawa makes great use of perspective and movement, encouraging page turns and effectively drawing the eye. . . . the arresting visuals and nicely cadenced text make this an excellent candidate for storytimes."

Best Wishes! Make a Wish, Henry Bear by Liam Francis Walsh

Henry's got a parent problem.

You've heard of free-range kids? Henry's got free-range parents.

It was the night before Henry's birthday. He pulled the covers up to his nose.

"Can't you stay up a little longer?" asked Mama Bear. "Just ten more minutes?" begged Papa Bear. "Pleeeeease?"\

"Fine," said Henry with a sigh. "Ten minutes, but that's all!"

Hanry's parents take him outside into the night and urge him to climb high and higher in the backyard tree.

CRACK!

Rubbing his bruised backside, Henry turns down Papa's offer to push him really high on the swing or Mama's pitch for a midnight family bike ride.

Henry is tired and cranky the next morning. It's a school day, but his breakfast is chocolate cake--again! His parents urge him to skip school and watch TV on the sofa in pajamas with them.

"But I have to go to school!" said Henry.

"Boring," says Mama Bear. "Take some toys."

At lunchtime, Henry is frowning into his lunch box when the new girl, Marjani, sits down beside him.

"I've never seen someone with a slice of chocolate cake look so unhappy," she said.

Henry confesses the whole story. It's his birthday, and on his last birthday he'd wished for fun parents who let him eat cake anytime, stay up too late, and skip his homework. But Henry has come to regret that wish. It's a cut-and-dried case of too much of a good thing!

"Tonight, when I blow out my candles, I'm going to wish them back the way they were, he said."

Henry invites Marjani to his party, but that night there's no chocolate cake with candles for his birthday. Mama Bear has decided a great big bowl of candy is just the thing for this birthday dinner!

But in some skillful storytelling, Liam Francis Walsh's Make a Wish, Henry Bear (Roaring Book Press, 2019) makes the case for the old saw, "Be careful what you wish for, because you might get it!" Luckily, Marjani comes through with the perfect birthday gift, a cupcake--with candle--and Henry gets to make a wiser birthday wish after all in a clever twist on turnabout parenting. Walsh's charming illustrations provide a quaint setting that adds a nice folklorish touch to this otherwise contemporary lesson on learning to wish well and wisely. Says Kirkus Reviews, "Readers will hope to see more of Henry Bear."

Beary Scary! The Night Bear by Ana and Thiago de Moraes

Do bears in the night bring scares in the night?
Nightmares in the night? Frights in the night?
No. Quite the contrary.

At night, when it's dark and quiet,
the Night Bear hops onto a night bus
and sets off to find his dinner.
Tonight he is in luck.
Lots of children have left nightmares out.
And nightmares are the Night Bear's favorite food.

Monsters with hideous eyes
taste like burgers and fries.

Nobody likes nightmares. Nobody likes sleepytime scares. Except for--the Night Bears.

There is a nightmare for every Night Bear's craving. Storms that crash taste like sausage and mash, and pirates that are mean taste of strawberries and cream.

But then the Night Bear finds a different sort of dream in the trash bin. It is unicorns soaring on rainbows, and they are--

DISGUSTING!

BLEEEACH! But the Night Bear hates to waste any dream, however unsavory it may seem. So he trudges through the dark street looking for whomever might have tossed such a thing out, until he spots little Tom in his window. He is pleased to receive the icky unicorns and rainbow dream. And he returns the favor with a box holding a dream he finds most unsavory.

Spiders and a giant snake.
They taste like chocolate cake!

So, as the Night Bear boards the Night Bus, his work here done, Tom toddles off to sweet dreams witj rainbow and unicorn scenes.

Sweet dreams, goodnight.
Hope the Night Bear comes tonight!

We may not know where nightmares come from, but now we know where they go, in Ana de Moraes whimsical tale of bad dreams and good bears, The Night Bear (Anderson Press, 2019). Author de Moraes keeps the charming rhymes coming, as artist Thiago de Moraes provides the burly but benevolent bears and quaint old-fashioned streets of the dark town that make this story unique.

For more rhyming nightmare snacks, the creators of this picture book offer back endpapers bursting with such nightmare tidbits as "a scary yeti who tastes like spaghetti," "slithering snakes like chocolate pancakes," and "banshees that scream who taste like custard cream." and front endpapers that show how to make a special box in which to leave a ghastly treat for your very own Night Bear.

"Vampires that play taste like creme brulee? YUM!" says Booklist's starred review.

Kitty on Duty: There Are No Bears in This Bakery by Julia Sarcone-Roach

There are no bears in the Little Bear Bakery.

If it flutters, scurries or scampers here,
I know about it.

The name is Muffins.
And this is my tale.

Surveillance is Muffin's game and the night shift is her domain.

When the baker goes to bed, Muffin goes to work. She knows the clangs and crunches of the alley raccoons, the squeak-scratch of the inside-the-wall mice. She thinks she's heard it all, until... there's a mystery growl in the bakery, and she discovers the back window open.

I slipped into the darkness like icing melting down a hot cake.

And that's when I saw it. It was the biggest mouse I had ever seen.

Actually, it's no mouse. It's a very hungry baby bear whose little belly is growling. What's a kind kitty to do but offer some of the bakery's wares?

I was on the case!

But where there's a hungry baby bear, there's bound to be an angry mama bear nearby! And there's a clue...

It smelled like a dumpster on a hot day.

Muffins' tail and eyes get way bigger than usual.

But Mama Bear is grateful that her baby is safe and well-fed, and Muffin finds herself engulfed in an overwhelming bear hug as warm as a sun-warmed (but smelly) bath mat.

It smelled like the bath mat needed a bath.

All's well that ends well, with two well-fed bears beating a satisfied retreat and Muffins, her work here done, calling it a night, curling up for a quiet pre-dawn nap on the baker's bed--until he wakes up to a big surprise, in Julia Sarcone-Roach's There Are No Bears in This Bakery (Alfred A. Knopf, 2019). Sarcone-Roach's storytelling is drolly narrated by her clever cat-sleuth Muffins, and her delightfully smudged and watery nighttime palette extend the the text brilliantly with many details to please the eyes of young readers. Says School Library Journal, "The front endpapers feature a scrumptious array of iced buns, cookies, donuts, and eclairs, while the back ones show the remnants of the night's feast—-nothing but crumbs and a half-eaten doughnut near a small gray mouse exclaiming, 'I love sprinkles!'" This one is a kid-pleasing winner!

For more fun with food, this one is a perfect pairing with Sarcone-Roach's best selling doggy tale, The Bear Ate Your Sandwich (see my review here.)