BEARSUIT TURTLE PLAYS A GAME

The costumed hero of Bearsuit Turtle Makes a Friend (2025) returns to gaslight peers and readers alike, in a whole new way.

When last we met our hero, the titular turtle made a skeptical new pal (“Be careful, I’m a for-real bear.” “No way! I’m a for-real bear expert, and you are NOT a for-real bear”). The friend has now returned, hoping to engage Bearsuit Turtle in some sports. After shooting down suggestions (“We can’t play baseball without hot dogs and ample parking”), our protagonist counters with a different idea: Bearsketball. But the rules clearly hinge upon Bearsuit Turtle’s ability to bend them at a moment’s notice. After a dramatic floor-is-lava game, a stick game, and a rolling-down-a-hill game, we learn about the toughest one of all: Guess what number Bearsuit Turtle is thinking of. Happily, there’s one particular rule of Bearsketball that wasn’t explained at the start: “Everyone wins at Bearsketball.” The storyline perfectly replicates those friendships where one pal has all the ideas and insists on leading the way. Colors as bright and blatant as Bearsuit Turtle’s intentions, coupled with the seeming simplicity of the character’s facial expressions, give the book a feel that is simultaneously retro and magnificently contemporary.

Proof that even the most overbearing friends can have our best interests at heart.