TUESDAY’S BEAR

Davis presents a picture book about an abandoned toy bear facing an uncertain future after ending up in a lost-and-found.

This familiar tale of a misplaced toy rediscovering love and purpose adds a clever twist: It’s based on the true story of the Owens family—the founders of Unclaimed Baggage, a company dedicated to rehoming “orphaned” luggage and its contents. Bear is never far from a young boy, Big Brother, whose parents save lost items from the dump. Together, the boy and bear play hide-and-seek, have imaginary adventures, and watch as books, jewelry, toys, and clothes are sorted, cleaned, and repaired. When Bear’s turn comes, the boy gently holds his paw. At a neighborhood yard sale, Bear sadly watches other items find loving homes until he realizes he already “belonged to a family who loved him.” The Owens family is portrayed with pale skin; other characters have a range of skin tones. Davis effectively uses short paragraphs and single sentences layered over Allison’s warm, full-page watercolor-style illustrations which, together, bring the story to life. The artist’s masterful use of contrast highlights characters in bustling scenes and distills feelings of abandonment and belonging. This read-aloud gem will have young listeners clutching their teddy bears a little tighter, while adults will find inspiration in the story of still-thriving Unclaimed Baggage.

A heartfelt, inspiring story of second chances.