A Brave Bear

Description

From School Library Journal PreS-Gr 1—A young bear tells about a trip to the river with Dad and his attempt to demonstrate his jumping skills. It's such a hot day that the cub suggests that he and his dad go to the river to cool off. The trip is long, though, with grassy and bushy parts and many rocks to negotiate. Anxious to show his dad how he can do a big jump, the little one ignores his parent's advice to "just do small" ones, gets himself ready, and falls over. His failure makes the cub sad, his knee hurts, and he's so hot that he doesn't even want to go to the river. Dad proposes they sit for awhile, and when they do continue their journey, the youngster walks bravely on by himself, refusing his father's offer to carry him. Taylor's brilliant text offers no moralizing or attempts by Dad to force his son to continue on before he is ready. Hughes's illustrations, created in pencil and digitally colored, depict a range of expressions on the bears' faces: their animated, attentive conversation; young bear's determination to display his skills and his frown at failure; Dad's comforting expression; and the obvious enjoyment the two share as they play together in the water. An orange sun shines in large swaths of yellow-red sky, suffusing forest scenes with palpable heat. VERDICT The brief text and the message that bravery is simply carrying on in spite of failure make this a fine offering for youngsters just trying their wings.—Marianne Saccardi, Children's Literature Consultant, Greenwich, CT Read more Review Taylor’s (Hoot Owl, Master of Disguise) concise narration is resonant with developmental authenticity and psychological insight, with just enough repetition to lend a pleasing lilt; it’s the emotional heart of this story. Hughes (The Little ) brings it home with instantly endearing characters and fine, fluid pencil texturing that has a marvelous plasticity, whether it’s delineating the bears’ shaggy coats, the bark of a tree, or the swirling waters of the river.—Publishers Weekly (starred review)This lovely book captures the languid mood of a hot day along with the easy rhythms of a sweet father-child connection...With her small, dense pencil strokes, Hughes (“Wild,” “The Little Gardener”) gives her bears utterly peaceable expressions and long, soft-looking fur that may cause readers to fondly recall the work of Paul Galdone.—The New York Times Book ReviewThe brief text and the message that bravery is simply carrying on in spite of failure make this a fine offering for youngsters just trying their wings.—School Library JournalHughes' detailed pencil illustrations show incredible texture, from the sweeping strokes of the bears' fur to the gnarled trees and brushy forest. Earthy tones of browns and greens fade into the pulsating yellow and orange sky. There are lessons here to be sure, but it is a warm family story most of all.—Kirkus ReviewsThe playful cadence of Taylor’s sparing text and the vibrancy of words like “jumpiest!” make this ideal for reading aloud. Whether it’s used for reading or listening, this glowing anecdote is sure to appeal to the overly ambitious Little Bear in each of us.—Booklist Read more About the Author Sean Taylor has written more than twenty books for young children, including Hoot Owl: Master of Disguise and The World Champion of Staying Awake. He divides his time between the United Kingdom and Brazil.Emily Hughes is the author-illustrator of Wild and The Little Gardener. A Brave Bear is her first book with Candlewick Press. Born and raised in Hilo, Hawaii, Emily Hughes now lives in London. Read more