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NANNY BEAR'S CRUISE by Elizabeth Bridgman

NANNY BEAR'S CRUISE

By

Pub Date: Oct. 31st, 1982
Publisher: Harper & Row

With an insouciance reminiscent of the early Babar books, Rosie bear and her grandmother, Nanny, board a cruise liner for the Sunshine Islands--and the ultimate in cruising pleasure: Rosie becomes ""the ship's belle"" and Nanny finds a new husband. ""Right away,"" we read, ""Rosie wanted to see and to do everything. Soon she knew her way around the ship and had made many friends."" And in little cartoons, captioned only with balloons (""I'm Dino,"" ""I'm Rosie""; ""I'm Rosie,"" ""I'm the captain""), we meet her new friends--including C. Aubrey-Smith-ish widower Oswald, Nanny's suitor-to-be. Nanny is at first suspicious; then smitten, and engaged; then dis-engaged (""Sweet Rosie, Nanny is just too old to make so many peanut butter sandwiches""--for 23 new grandchildren); then won over--all over again. The shipboard wedding, a festive docking, and a swank supper party bring the book to a gala conclusion. ""If everyone helps with the peanut butter sandwiches,"" says Rosie, ""we will all live happily ever after."" (""AND THEY DID."") A vicarious experience buoyantly tossed off.