BEAR IS NOT TIRED

Bear doesn’t want to miss one moment with his duck family.

Now that he is part of a loving blended family (Room for Bear, 2015), Bear wants to enter into every activity and bask in the loving acceptance he has found. Sometimes he even forgets that he isn’t a duck. With winter approaching, he knows it’s time to sleep, but he is determined to stay awake with the ducks. As time passes he becomes more and more lethargic, falling asleep in the middle of games and meals. Every household sound is like a lullaby. Finally Mama Duck insists that he must do what a bear must do. She promises that she will find a way of ensuring that he won’t miss out on anything. While he hibernates, the ducks stay close, playing nearby and having naptime with him. When he awakens in spring, Mama Duck presents him with photos of all the family’s winter activities, and there he is, sleeping peacefully in every photo, surrounded by their loving presence. Brief, simple sentences in bold, clear typeface are enhanced and illuminated by warmly hued illustrations that seamlessly fill in all the details. The endpapers are the photos from Mama Duck’s album. It’s an unlikely family that is depicted with tenderness and encouragement on every page.

Warm and wonderful.