BEST BEAR

It’s bedtime, and a little boy in red pajamas climbs the stairs with his best friend, a scruffy stuffed bear. With the lights out, he’s safe from scary shadows because none would dare come near the two of them. They go from comfy to restless, however, and begin jumping around and dancing until that makes them sleepy. And so, to bed. Dodd’s simple rhyming text avoids daunting words (“Old bear, / many mends. / We are still / best friends”); even early readers should be able to tackle it, although the clipped rhythms may result in a read-aloud that will sound more like a marching band and less like a lullaby. Similarly, the full-bleed, illustrations have simple compositions, with large figures, a soft-focus feeling and a muted palette. The use of a broad, smudgy gray line instead of black visually harmonizes with the subdued, reassuring tone. Nice enough bedtime reading for the very young. (Picture book. 3-6)