BEAR MOVES
by Ben Bailey Smith ; illustrated by Sav Akyüz
In this sequel to I Am Bear (2015), hip-hop–heavy Bear is in “a dancing mood….‘Bring the music!’ ”
Comedian and rapper Smith, aka “Doc Brown,” returns with illustrator Akyüz for some dance-friendly moves styled by their lead character, Bear. The purple ursine parties along with an unnamed, trepidatious squirrel plus a slightly hesitant DJ bunny, who round out the cast of characters. Bear’s friends are skittish for all the right reasons, because while Bear sure is multitalented, he’s also unpredictable. He performs “Furry Breaking,” the “Running Bear,” and the “Robot,” along with a bit of foxtrot, belly dance, and tango, and he does most of these things in clothes that distinctly resemble underwear even though he assures us that these are “just the clothes I choose / When I’m in a dancing mood.” Akyüz’s graffiti-esque illustrations again feature strong, black lines, bold colors, and much frenetic action. It ends with Bear succumbing to zzzzzz’s on the dance floor, which many readers are sure to do if they expect to keep up with this action-packed picture book.
The dance moves make this a fun read that is sure to get you in the groove, if only for a little while. Check it out.
(Picture book. 2-5)