A bear-y good choice for storytime.
A nearly wordless tale of the bond between stuffed toy and child.
The title shares three of just four words used throughout this story, which relies on well-paced sequential art to establish a child’s love of their toy bear and to chronicle how they navigate their first day of school without it. With a style akin to Bob Graham’s with a dash of Helen Oxenbury, wordless frontmatter illustrations show Bear in a blue beribboned box. Next, the blue ribbon now around its neck, Bear sits on a nursery shelf. Subsequent spreads show the child growing up, with Bear their constant companion. Foreshadowing the school-day separation to come, one of the child’s parents takes Bear to the washing machine, and the protagonist turns red with rage (“BEAR WITH ME!”). Soon after reuniting with a clean Bear, the child sits the toy with other stuffed animals and points at a picture on an easel emblazoned with the word SCHOOL. Though the child makes valiant efforts to keep “Bear. with. me” while preparing to go to school, their parent insists that Bear stay home. Another tantrum doesn’t follow, however, as the child settles into classroom routines and keeps Bear “with” them by dressing up like a bear, painting a picture of Bear, and so on before a happy reunion at home sure to delight anyone who’s ever missed a plush pal. The child and their parents are light-skinned; their school is a diverse one. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
A bear-y good choice for storytime. (Picture book. 2-5)Pub Date: June 13, 2023
ISBN: 9780593307670
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Random House Studio
Review Posted Online: March 28, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 15, 2023
A soothing bedtime reminder of a parent’s unconditional love.
Grammy Award–winning singer/songwriter Monét’s picture-book debut reassures the very young that their caregivers are always watching over them.
A smiling yellow star watches the equally cheerful moon; both are heavily anthropomorphized, with eyelashes for the moon and pink cheeks for the star. A page turn reveals the star, now downcast and in the corner of a mostly dark spread: “Sometimes the sky is dark and you can’t see the moon at all.” The following spread, depicting a sparkly sky with both characters back in view, reminds children that the moon is there, even when it’s not visible: “Think of me as the moon / It’s always in the sky / Just like I will forever be / a bright light in your life.” Both orbs beam. “I’ll always be your moon / You’ll always be my star / Just keep me in your heart and / I’ll be everywhere you are.” This becomes the refrain after a few more verses that continue the theme of the moon as a metaphor for emotionally present, ever-loving caregivers. Little ones will happily repeat the words as they’re lulled to sleep. The book ends with a heartfelt dedication from the author to her daughter and to parents who balance caregiving duties with careers. Monét notes that she set out to show children that their parents’ devotion endures no matter what—a goal achieved by both text and art.
A soothing bedtime reminder of a parent’s unconditional love. (Picture book. 2-4)Pub Date: June 24, 2025
ISBN: 9780593698419
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Putnam
Review Posted Online: Feb. 1, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 1, 2025
SEEN & HEARD
A heartwarming story about facing fears and acceptance.
A boy with wings learns to be himself and inspires others like him to soar, too.
Norman, a “perfectly normal” boy, never dreamed he might grow wings. Afraid of what his parents might say, he hides his new wings under a big, stuffy coat. Although the coat hides his wings from the world, Norman no longer finds joy in bathtime, playing at the park, swimming, or birthday parties. With the gentle encouragement of his parents, who see his sadness, Norman finds the courage to come out of hiding and soar. Percival (The Magic Looking Glass, 2017, etc.) depicts Norman with light skin and dark hair. Black-and-white illustrations show his father with dark skin and hair and his mother as white. The contrast of black-and-white illustrations with splashes of bright color complements the story’s theme. While Norman tries to be “normal,” the world and people around him look black and gray, but his coat stands out in yellow. Birds pop from the page in pink, green, and blue, emphasizing the joy and beauty of flying free. The final spread, full of bright color and multiracial children in flight, sets the mood for Norman’s realization on the last page that there is “no such thing as perfectly normal,” but he can be “perfectly Norman.”
A heartwarming story about facing fears and acceptance. (Picture book. 3-5)Pub Date: May 1, 2018
ISBN: 978-1-68119-785-2
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Bloomsbury
Review Posted Online: March 3, 2018
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 2018
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