Countdown To 2019 #3 Bears

There are eight surviving species.  Of these eight, six are in trouble and facing possible extinction.  One of them can smell prey more than one-half mile away and more than three feet under the snow.  Another spends half their time in trees, even building platforms on which to rest. A third can exist for at least six months without eating or drinking or eliminating body waste. They have been known to run at least forty miles per hour.  They are clever enough to wipe away their trail to evade hunters and can spring a trap without hurting themselves to eat the bait.

When formed into toys they've comforted countless children for generations. They are beloved characters in classic and current children's literature.  We humans have an affinity for bears.

Little Bear's Big House (Chronicle Books, October 9, 2018) written and illustrated by Benjamin Chaud is the fourth companion title in a delightfully detailed series (The Bear's Song, The Bear's Sea Escape, and The Bear's Surprise).  This small guy is off and running on another adventure.

The sun streams through the pines, melting the snow and warming Teeny Tiny Bear as he naps.  Mama and Papa Bear are careful not to disturb their slumbering cub.  They don't see the frown on Little Bear's face or the restless twitch of his tail.

Little Bear is bored with life in the forest.  He seeks excitement other than among the trees.  He wonders what a little boy would do.  As he passes by other animals in his search, they all want him to stop and play or eat or hunt.  He keeps on walking until sunset.

Before him is a clearing he has never seen.  A tall many-windowed, many-floored estate rises in front of his eyes.  The open front door is an invitation he can't resist.

Running from room to room Little Bear sings, plays and explores galore.  He loves doing what he wants to do when he wants to do it.  In the middle of all this fun, a loud

BANG!

freezes him.

It must be monsters, lots of monsters.  He wonders what a little boy would do.  He bravely walks toward the sound, whispering a mantra to give himself courage.  He stops. Terrified.  It IS a monster, a three-headed monster!  There are roars.  There is running.  There are tales to tell in the morning.  

Amid the elaborate descriptions of setting and actions by Benjamin Chaud runs an impish thread of humor.  He inserts just enough dialogue in his story to give us a better idea of Little Bear's thoughts.  Piece by piece the anticipation grows until Little Bear knows he is not alone.  What readers know, and Little Bear does not, is a perfect hilarious twist.  Here are two passages.

Monsters!  Little Bear hides under the covers.  And, just like a little boy, his imagination takes flight.  The monsters probably have long fangs and large claws and black eyes, not to mention grumbling stomachs!

Thump, CRASH, thu-thump, CRASH! What should a little boy do?  What should a little bear do?

When readers open the matching dust jacket and book case the night scene before them is brimming with questions.  Why is Little Bear running and carrying a floor lamp?  Why is he wearing that polka-dotted frock?  Where is he?  

To the left, on the back the image extends to show his family walking toward the clearing.  Teeny Tiny Bear is followed by Mama Bear and Papa Bear.  The local animals are on high alert.  The red opening and closing endpapers are patterned in a repeat of three plants found in the forest.  Beneath the text on the title page stands Little Bear posing like a hero attired in a cap, cape and stockings.  

With the exception of five pages all the images are double-page pictures.  With intricate details every single one tells an ever-expanding story of its own.  The smaller images on single pages accentuate the pacing and increase the comedy.  Readers will be unable to contain their laughter when Little Bear is visiting every room or playing in a series of eighteen small visuals.

One of my many favorite illustrations spans two pages.  It is a cut-away of the large red house in the clearing.  It shows us three floors of rooms and stairways.  In each room we can see what Little Bear is doing.  It's funnier than funny at how much he is enjoying all this freedom.  

Little Bear's Big House written and illustrated by Benjamin Chaud is another fabulous title in this set of books.  I highly recommend it for your professional and personal collections.  At this link the publisher gives us an inside view of Benjamin Chaud's studio.  Here is an interview with Benjamin Chaud at PictureBook Makers.

One of children's literature's favorite bears is back. In the season of winter it's a widely known fact, certain species of bears engage in a form of hibernation but a beloved bear is having problems.  Bear Can't Sleep (Margaret K. McElderry Books, an imprint of Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing Division, October 23, 2018) written by Karma Wilson with illustrations by Jane Chapman is a precious presentation of exemplary friendship.

In his home in the forest,

while the cold wind blows,

Bear snuggles in his quilt

from his nose to his toes.  

We all have those nights when falling asleep is a struggle.  With snow falling and drifts getting deeper and deeper, Bear should be having sweet thoughts of summer honey.  Instead he flips from side to side under his cozy quilt.  He is wide awake!

His friend Mouse scampers inside to make sure Bear's fire is going.  He's shocked to see Bear not sleeping.  Even a cup of fresh mint tea does not help Bear drift into dreamland.  Badger and Hare stroll into Bear's den, each doing their best to help him sleep but nothing works.

Other animal friends, Mole, Gopher, Wren, Owl and Raven check on Bear.  A soothing lullaby might work.  It does not.  Finally Bear roars the truth.  He's awake and completely bored so he decides to entertain his best pals.  

As he tells a tale, they lean in, comfortable and warm.  It's a new one, never heard by any of them.  Just as he gets to the end . . .

When Karma Wilson weaves words together in this book, she fashions a gentle fabric to envelope her readers in peace and calm.  A beat is formed by the entrance of Bear's friends, their attempts to help him rest and the repeating phrase of

And the bear can't sleep. 

Lines two and four of each group of sentences rhyme like a soothing song.  Here is a passage.

"Ho, Mouse!" says Hare.

"We were just out walking.

Bear should be asleep,

but we both heard talking!"

The image on the front of the matching dust jacket and book case extends over the spine to reveal more of Bear's den.  Even though we understand by the title he is unable to sleep, he is also surrounded by all his friends.  Their concern is obvious as is his frustration.  The colors used in this illustration, throughout the book, radiate congeniality.  

The opening and closing endpapers show us the wintry woods as snow falls and wind blows.  A small opening in a drift reveals Bear in his glowing den.  There is a distinct difference in his face between the first and second double-page visuals.

Rendered in acrylic paint Jane Chapman's pictures alternate in size from small spot illustrations, to full-page images to double-page visuals.  She gives us a variety of inside views of Bear, his cave and his friends.  The size of the pictures pairs beautifully with the cadence of the story.

One of my favorite illustrations spans two pages.  On the left we can see the snowy woods through the opening in Bear's abode.  He is stretched across the center covered in his patchwork quilt.  Badger and Hare are standing on either side of him.  Mouse is placed in front of his nose, deep in mint leaves.  In the right-hand corner, the fire burns with a tea kettle hanging over it.

Readers will come to understand this story, Bear Can't Sleep written by Karma Wilson with illustrations by Jane Chapman, ties in marvelously with another of Bear's books.  It is a must-have title for those who enjoy the series, for those who love a good story and for those who need to fall fast asleep.  Links are attached to both Karma Wilson's and Jane Chapman's names for accessing their websites.  Karma Wilson maintains an account on Twitter.

A friend in need is a friend indeed.

When a call for help is answered, it's a sign of friendship or friendship in the making.  Got to Get to BEARS! (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, October 30, 2018) written and illustrated by Brian Lies is an action-packed adventure of forest friends intent on reaching someone in need. Nothing will stop them.

When Izzy read the note, she knew she had to go.

Izzy was a chipmunk.  The sky looked like bad weather was coming but if Bear asked her to come as soon as possible, that was all she needed to know.  It started to snow.  Soon it was so deep, she was stuck.

Scritch, a squirrel, asked where Izzy was going.  He offered to help her by leaping from tree top to tree top with her on his back. They finally reached a point where they were unable to keep going.  Bingle, a duck, was more than willing to fly the duo.

The snow storm turned into a blizzard and Bingle was blinded.  They tumbled onto a snow-covered roof.  They each decided walking should be tried again.  The duck was moving slower and slower.  When a raccoon came along, they were more than ready to ride on his back.  Snaffie kept going.  Soon only Izzy was above the snow now, guiding the raccoon.

A glow in the distance gives them hope.  Are they too late?  What Bear and all her friends do next is the very best kind of surprise.

As a storyteller Brian Lies has a gift for engaging his readers immediately.  With the note Izzy receives from Bear, a mystery begins.  To have this call for assistance come at the same time as the beginning of the snow storm heightens the tension.  We become further involved as each animal makes an appearance and offers support.  This tension and tempo increase in tandem with the depth of the snow and intensity of the blizzard.  This is why the surprise is pure perfection.  Here is a passage.

As they went, the sky darkened, the wind grew

wild, and snow stung their faces like tiny bees.

"Can't see!" Bingle screeched.  "Can't see!"

Rendered in acrylic paint on Strathmore paper the illustrations reach out to readers as soon as we see the double-page picture featured on the matching and open dust jacket and book case.  Tall trees and the forest floor are fully blanketed in snow.  A huge mound provides a placeholder for the ISBN on the back.  A lantern glows above it.  The four friends lean into the wind, determination etched on their faces.  The text and friends are varnished on the jacket.

The same shade of red in the title text is used to cover the opening and closing endpapers.  On the initial title page Bear is leaning against her window looking out into the snow.  On the formal title and verso pages, a note is delivered to Izzy with a bear paw print sealing it closed.  It flutters down from a retreating bird who seems to be carrying a mail bag on its back.  (These are the kind of wonderful details Brian includes in his artwork.)

Each illustration speaks to and enhances the narrative.  Some of the pictures are full-page, others are small loosely framed circles.  A series of four horizontal panels extend over a double-page visual.  And then we are treated to a large image over two pages.  Brian also has four vertical panels on two pages.  Layer by layer, image by image we become more a part of this story.  You will cherish the realistic portraits of the animals and their facial expressions.

One of my many favorite illustrations is when Bingle is flying straight into the blizzard.  All around the duck is dark blue and snow.  She is streaking toward us on the right side of a double-page picture.  Her right wing crosses the gutter.  The squirrel and chipmunk are hanging on for their lives with their eyes closed.  

Without a doubt readers are going to love Got to Get to BEARS! written and illustrated by Brian Lies.  They will be captivated by the mystery and adventure . . . and shocked at the surprise.  I know they will ask to have the story read to them again.  If you follow the link attached to Brian Lies' name, you can access his website.  Brian has an account on Twitter and Instagram.

Be Aware Of These Bears And Their Books Part I

An unexpected encounter with them puts our lives in danger.  They are the largest land carnivore on our planet.  They are ferocious but generally shy and when observed from a safe distance intriguing. When seen in a toy shop, we select them to become cherished friends.  In 2002 a centennial celebration marked their creation.

In literature, as characters, we laugh at their antics, marvel at their insights and ingenuity and more times than not make room in our hearts for what they represent. As 2015 comes to a close there are five titles featuring bears I would like to highlight in two separate posts.  I Thought This Was A Bear Book (Aladdin, an imprint of Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing Division, August 4, 2015) written by Tara Lazar with illustrations by Benji Davies gives readers a peek at the potential for problems when books fall from a shelf.

Once upon a time there were three bears.
Zark! Zoot! Zinder!
DOING  WHOOSH  CLANG 

A spacecraft crashes into the woods normally populated by residents from the land of fairy.  A green being has lost his book and needs to return to Planet Zero.  No one is more surprised by this turn of events than Papa, Mama and Baby Bear.

Prince Zilch is panic-stricken at his plight.  He needs to return to page twenty-seven immediately.  These berry-picking bears, who are sick of eating porridge, are unfortunately more interested in exploring his other-worldly vehicle.  Their fumbling fixes any chance Prince Zilch has of leaving on schedule.  Both the alien and largest bear appeal to the reader for help.  As luck would have it you-know-who, the girl with the golden hair, arrives.

With only certain items on hand, chairs, beds and busted bits, the bears do their best to assist the royal visitor out of their story.  Nothing seems to work.  As parents snooze, Baby Bear proposes a plan.  It might work.  WHOA!  Now look what we've done!


With a talent for fracturing fairy tales Tara Lazar very quickly alters the norm by introducing a character from a different galaxy...er...story.  His language is easy to understand although he does tend to favor the letter z.  Told entirely in dialogue between the characters and at times directed at the reader, humor is prevalent.  The use of alliteration adds to the buoyant cadence.  Here is a sample passage.

Papa Bear Well, maybe you can bounce out of the book using our beds.
Goldilocks Jeesh, can't a girl get some shut-eye around here?


Digitally rendered using an array of hues, leaning toward secondary colors, Benji Davies introduces the characters on the front of the matching dust jacket and book case.  He peaks our curiosity as to the importance of the open books with familiar faces looking from and leaving the pages.  To the left, on the back, Papa, Mama and Baby Bear are walking away from us toward the berry bushes.  Prince Zilch is zooming past with his signature pink cloud trailing behind his spaceship.

One of the shades of green from the bears' book is used on the opening and closing endpapers.  A page turn shows a child leaving a book case as books slip from position and fall to the floor.  An alien vehicle zooms from one into Goldilocks & The 3 Bears.  On the verso and title pages the image from the back of the jacket and case is extended with an enlarged book on the left.

Picture sizes vary from two pages to single pages and to several on a single page.  Many of them have rounded corners with white space acting as a frame.  The dialogue is placed in colorful balloons of pink, yellow, orange and two shades of blue depending on who is speaking.  Plan on laughing out loud at the details Davies adds to enhance the story.

One of my favorite illustrations spans two pages.  First the alien and then Papa Bear are talking directly to the reader.  The fallen spaceship is behind them.  Behind the vehicle Baby Bear and Mama Bear are smiling and waving at a busload of tourists who have stopped to take their pictures as if they are bears in a national park.  I dare you not to smile.

I Thought This Was A Bear Book written by Tara Lazar with illustrations by Benji Davies is definitely a bear book filled with fractured fairy tale fun.  It's a tribute to the power of story and those who read them.  To discover more about Tara Lazar and Benji Davies please follow the links attached to their names to access their websites.  Tara Lazar includes a teacher's guide and fun activities as well as links to other posts about this book.  At the publisher's website you can view three additional interior images.  



Readers were and will continue to be enchanted with the father and son duo and their winding adventures in The Bear's Song and The Bear's Sea Escape.  In a third title, The Bear's Surprise (Chronicle Books, September 15, 2015) written and illustrated by Benjamin Chaud spring has sprung.  Roles are reversed as Papa Bear seems to have vanished.

Deep in the forest, Little Bear awakens to the sounds of spring.  Outside his cozy den, birds are chirping, animals are scurrying, and Little Bear smells the sweet scent of flowers.

Little Bear's joy at the shift in the seasons is short-lived as he notices his father is absent.  Could he be near the yellow glow beyond the trees?  The shining sun lights the way along an unexplored trail.

Within mere minutes Little Bear is standing in front of a large hole in a hillside.  Could this lead him to Papa?  It's a huge, huge cave filled with beings from fantasy, now and the past.  Oh!  What's this?

How did Little Bear get into a washing machine?  Who are all these creative creatures and people straight from the realm of whimsy?  Little Bear rushes toward a large red tent.  He thinks he spies Papa Bear's behind.  A crowd has gathered and is making their way toward seats.  Suddenly the lights are lowered.

Papa Bear and Little Bear are making magic with their planned and unplanned performances.  The watchers cheer and applaud as Little Bear soars higher and higher.  He flies.  He lands.  He leans.  Oh. ... This is indeed a surprise, a wonderful gift of spring.


Carefully written sentences, brimming with descriptive adjectives and verbs, place readers squarely in the bears' world.  Benjamin Chaud repeatedly asks readers questions, inviting them to turn the pages closely following Little Bear.  Punctuation asks us to pause and ponder his next move.  Here is a sample passage.

Little Bear darts through a collection of quirky clowns, costumed cats, and other curiosities until he spots something behind a great red curtain.  Isn't that Papa Bear's fuzzy brown bottom?  With three quick hops, Little Bear enters the circus tent.  What will he find?


The muted earth tones seen on the matching dust jacket and book case are used by Benjamin Chaud throughout the book.  The fine lines, multitude of details and fascinating characters are his signature style for these bear books.  To the left, on the back, a small oval image amid a golden yellow background foreshadows the surprise.  A similar hue colors the opening and closing endpapers acting as a canvas for a pattern of large white stars.  On the opening right side Baby Bear is seen flying through the air wearing a circus hat.

Beginning with the title page Chaud starts his new technique for this title.  Each two pages contain one or more cut-outs encouraging us join Little Bear.  You will marvel at their placement.  The exquisite intricacy of the elements placed in each two-page illustration will take your breath away.

One of my favorite pictures is when Little Bear goes into the hole in the hillside and enters the cave.  All the passages and little rooms are amazing.  They are filled with creatures you might expect to see; foxes, moles and a skunk.  There is a tiny yellow submarine exploring in the water.  A creature from the age of dinosaurs hangs from the ceiling as bats flit from place to place.  People from the past and present have made their homes here.  You will gasp when you spy two memorable fictional characters.


The Bear's Surprise written and illustrated by Benjamin Chaud is another stunning title in the series.  Readers of all ages will read this over and over looking for new items on every page.  At the publisher's website three more images can be viewed.  Even though this book trailer is in French you can get a closer peek at some of the pictures.  It's also interesting to see the dust jacket used for the French version.





As she did in Inside Outside and Flashlight Lizi Boyd asks us to expand our inventive nature in her newest title.  Big Bear Little Chair (Chronicle Books, October 6, 2015) is a book of concepts.  Opposites combine, two characters' lives intertwine.

Big Bear
little chair
Big Plant
little cocoon

A bird, a zebra, a butterfly, and an elephant are paired with a trick, a rock, a broom and an umbrella.  Is that a star and the moon?  Little Bear is as surprised as Big Bear to see the size of his chair.

What do an owl, a meadow, a lion, a sea, a rabbit and a forest have in common?  They are all matched with little things.  Most are normal, but one is quite extraordinary.  Ahhh....now Big Bear and Little Bear are together next to a little chair (and a big chair).

Another item has been added to the comparisons.  We read from big to little and finally to tiny.  Who's driving the little bus?  What's near the big seal?  Who's walking through the little village in the big snowstorm?  Tales are told.  There are bears in chairs too.


Lizi Boyd divides the book into four sections.  Within the first three she includes six comparisons.  The attention of readers is guaranteed with her ingenious selections.   With each page turn we wonder if we will see an owl on a branch or a zebra with a broom.


Red, white, black and gray are the only colors Lizi Boyd uses in this title.  The red is extended on the dust jacket and book case to the back on the left.  The circles used to hold the title text on the front frame pictures of an owl, an elephant and a turtle on the back.  The endpapers are done in two shades of gray, each with a different graphic design.

A variety of shapes are featured in each single page visual.  Rendered in gouache the lines range from delicate to precise.  Careful readers will notice how the expressions change on Big Bear and Little Bear as the book progresses.  Each animal showcased in the images is content and smiling.

One of my favorite pictures is for big meadow and little salamander.  The flowers in the meadow are done primarily in gray with added details in black on a white background.  The lines are extremely intricate.  Tucked in at the bottom is a small bright red salamander.

Big Bear Little Chair written and illustrated by Lizi Boyd is many things in one.  The graphic designs are impeccable.  The size and shape of the book is perfect for the intended audience.  To learn more about Lizi Boyd please follow the link attached to her name to access her website.  At the publisher's website are three more interior images.  Lizi Boyd wrote a blog post at Chronicle Books about this title.  Enjoy the book trailer.

Toying With The Truth

About ten years ago I got a real solid lesson in things are not always what they appear to be.  I had been working in my gardens in front and was moving to one side of the house.  As I looked in the grass, I saw a large stick about three feet in length. I remember thinking, "How did that get there?" When I got closer I yelped; it was the biggest garter snake I had ever seen.  I'm not sure, of the two of us, who was more frightened.

One of the cutest father and son teams of 2013 first introduced to readers in The Bear's Song, have returned in a companion title, The Bear's Sea Escape (Chronicle Books).  Author illustrator Benjamin Chaud has the two still searching; first for one thing, then for each other.  It's an adventure worth following, every page of the way.

High atop the opera house with snowflakes falling fast, Papa Bear and his cub snuffle their snouts up through the snow. "We can't stay here!" Papa Bear grumbles.  "This is no place for a nice long nap."

Swiftly moving over city rooftops the duo discover a way inside what they believe to be the ultimate hibernation home, a boutique for teddy bears located in a large, multi-floored shopping center.  A youthful shopper notices Little Bear believing him to be the best toy bear in the world.  Before the two dozing bears are aware the cub is being whisked away as an additional member on a family vacation.

Shocked to realize Little Bear is no longer sleeping next to him, Papa Bears gives chase.  On a scooter through city streets, hanging on to the caboose of a train and grasping a box being loaded on board a cruise ship, a father follows his son.  It is no easy task to locate the wee one on this immense vessel.  Where oh where is Little Bear?

Papa Bear looks for his cub under the sea making multiple inquiries of the local inhabitants.  No Little Bear.  Papa Bear looks for his cub among all the bodies swimming in the surf and lounging on the beach.  No Little Bear.  Paper Bear looks for his cub among the jungle vegetation keeping to the winding path.  No Little Bear.

Cavorting to a conga masked merrymakers snag Papa Bear, luring him into their line.  Suddenly over the happy hullabaloo, a sound is heard.  This boisterous blast is known to only two.  Sweet dreams on a balmy beach are in the offing.


Using words which replicate the rhythm of an action-packed treasure (Little Bear) hunting trek, Benjamin Chaud takes his readers on this jolly jaunt.  We weave through a people-packed street, train station, boat, beach and jungle resort not to mention taking a dive in the underwater world.  Every two, three or four sentence group links us to the next with a pleasurable pause.  Here is a single sample.

Perhaps Little Bear went for a swim?  Papa Bear dives into the sea to explore for himself.
"Have you seen my Little Bear?" he asks a puzzled puffer fish.  The reef is brimming with bubbles and barnacles, scales and seaweed, but there is no sign of fluffy brown fur for as far as the eye can see!

Benjamin Chaud prefaces his story with a matching dust jacket and book case using a vibrant color palette in shades of deep blue-green, red, gold and black.  On the front we are treated to an image similar to one of the interior illustrations.  On the back, to our left, he extends and closes the story with a small oval picture of Papa Bear, pink flowered lei around his neck and a blossom on his head, sleeping beneath a palm tree.  Baby Bear wearing his party costume, holding a ukulele, is resting peacefully on his big belly.  The identical gold and cream opening and closing endpapers in a scroll pattern supply the background for a tiny blue hummingbird.

Turning a page we see Papa Bear and Little Bear popping up out of the snow beneath the title.  All of the twelve double-page visuals are loaded with numerous exquisite details; a mix of realism and myth and a blend of urban with the wild.  You can spy a fox running through the city, penguins frolicking on board the cruise ship, a mermaid swimming by a submarine and yes...a yeti and a dodo bird on the beach.  You can literally spend hours looking at each illustration; first to locate Papa Bear and Little Bear and second to find all the other goodies tucked into each one.  As in the first title Chaud's playful pictures are full of fun.

I think my favorite illustration is the cross-section of the ship.  You get a real feel for Chaud's ability to include other tiny tales within his overall narrative.  Each room or section contains small individual parts of the larger whole.  I can't help grinning at the stubborn horse in one room or the penguins "chatting" in the hallway as one of their other friends takes a dip in the ship's pool with the human swimmers.


I have always been a firm believer in the saying "a book is a present you can open again and again" but The Bear's Sea Escape written and illustrated by Benjamin Chaud features new stories every time you look at one of the illustrations.  I sure hope more escapades highlighting these two characters are in the works.  If excellence is in the details, this title is a blue ribbon winner.

I sincerely enjoyed reading this post, Benjamin Chaud: You Know Him. You Just Don't Know You Know Him, by New York Public Library's Youth Materials Collection Specialist and blogger at A Fuse #8 Production, Elizabeth Bird.  The book trailer below is in French but gives you a great peek at the book.

Buzzy As A Bee

Perhaps in preparation for the long, record-breaking cold and snowfall depths in northern Michigan this year, perennials and flowering shrubs bloomed in profusion last summer.  During an entire day I had the pleasure of watching hundreds and hundreds of honeybees swarm around a bush overhanging my deck railing.  They graciously allowed me to get close enough to see the pouches of pollen collecting on their legs.  Their humming was a peaceful, pleasing melody.

If you were to ask even the youngest reader what food bears crave more than anything else, you would hear a chorus of honey.   Even though winter is spreading her cold quilt, Little Bear is not quite ready to settle in for a long nap.  The Bear's Song (Chronicle Books, September 2013) written and illustrated by Benjamin Chaud follows him on one last undertaking, a quest for his favorite sweet treat.

Deep in his den, Papa Bear starts to snore.  Winter whistles through the forest. Hibernation has begun.

Little Bear is not in the den.  Oh, no.  He is merrily following the sound of a single bee.  Despite his youth, he has learned that a bee will lead him to honey.

With an instinct as old as time, Papa Bear suddenly wakes knowing Little Bear has vacated the premises.  Searching left, searching right; Papa Bear can't get the errant youngster in sight.  From the forest he runs until he finds himself among streets lined with buildings and filled with people, lots of people.

Could that be Little Bear's ears?  Could that be Little Bear following a solitary bee?  Racing into the opera house Papa Bear goes.

Up, down and all around the father sniffs and scurries trying to locate Little Bear.  Whoosh!  Smash!  What do Papa Bear and a chandelier have in common?  Not about to let stage fright deter him in the slightest Papa Bear opens his great toothy mouth to sing a lullaby sure to lure the smaller bear to him.

When the proverbial dust has settled, there sits Little Bear in the middle of the audience seating.  He has a surprise for his Papa.  Certain sightings are meant to be shared.


Clever word choices by Benjamin Chaud replicate the sound and flight of the bee.  Page turn pacing mirrors the frantic search of Papa Bear and the determined pursuit of Little Bear. Tying together the alliterative and rhythmic language is a liberal dose of humor throughout.  Here is a single passage.

Looking rather dapper indeed, Paper Bear darts across the hall.
Now where could that bee and that Little Bear be?

Using a subdued, understated color palette of blue, gold, green, black, brown and cream with bits of rustic orange and red, Benjamin Chaud appeals to readers' sense of adventure.  With the matching dust jacket and book case we are introduced to his meticulous details, intricate designs and embellished architectural interiors and exteriors.  His opening and closing endpapers featuring a cream and gold honeycomb populated by bees foreshadows events to come.  Even the small oval illustration on the back continues the story's conclusion.

Each of the twelve two-page illustrations stretch from page edge to page edge filled with stories within the story.  Reader's eyes will first be scanning for Papa Bear, Little Bear and the bee.  Then they will see the multitude of extraordinary tiny visuals that will captivate and entertain; the lumberjacks leaving their saw stuck in the tree as they watch from the limbs as Papa Bear runs by them, the advertisements for honey on a sign and on the side of a bus in the city, the child wearing a bear hat who seems to be the only one to notice Papa Bear, bees engraved in the opera building exterior, or a lone shoe left on a ledge in the opera house.

I found myself smiling at every single illustration but the one which is the funniest to me is Papa Bear running through the forest after Little Bear and the bee.  To see the reactions of every other being as he approaches is laugh-out-loud hilarious.  It's a study in contrast; they are focused on Papa Bear, he is centered on his search for Little Bear.


If you are looking for a humorous adventure, jam-packed with delightful details, then The Bear's Song written and illustrated by Benjamin Chaud is a must read for you.  Be sure to pair it with Sergio Ruzzier's Bear and Bee for a story time that will hum with joy.  You might consider extending it even further by reading from Sandra Markle's The Case of the Vanishing Honeybees:  A Scientific Mystery.