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GOOD BEAR, BAD BEAR

Name: GOOD BEAR, BAD BEAR
Author: Hyewon Yum
ISBN: 9780823460540

by Hyewon Yum ; illustrated by Hyewon Yum ‧ RELEASE DATE: Nov. 3, 2026

A funny, feelings-front tale with a light touch.

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A little sister has a big inferiority complex.

“My sister can read. I can’t. And I never will,” grouses the story’s narrator, who appears to be the younger sib. “My sister brushes her hair every day. My hair can’t be tamed.” When the girls’ mom, who remains physically absent from these pages (subtext: Sometimes kids can solve their own problems), gives them identical teddy bears, the narrator’s sister names hers—what else?—Good Bear. The narrator knows “exactly what to name mine.” Bad Bear becomes her alter ego: He torments the family dog and helps the narrator knock down her sister’s block house. When Bad Bear loses an eye in the washing machine, the narrator no longer wants him. But leave it to her sister to trade her Good Bear for Bad Bear, which sparks more (hilarious) resentment from the narrator. Although there’s no adult perspective to decode the sisters’ psychology for readers, they’ll totally get it: When the narrator’s sister says that “Bad Bear is funny, brave, and interesting,” she’s reminding her sib of her positive attributes, and the sisters soon make peace. In Yum’s mixed-media art, featuring invitingly plain-as-day colored-pencil shadings, the sisters, who appear to be of East Asian descent, resemble their personalities: One is unkempt, the other tidy. In the story’s wonderful wordless closer, Good Bear reveals her other side while the sisters sleep.

A funny, feelings-front tale with a light touch. (Picture book. 4-8)

Pub Date: Nov. 3, 2026

ISBN: 9780823460540

Page Count: 40

Publisher: Neal Porter/Holiday House

Review Posted Online: Aug. 3, 2026

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 1, 2026

Categories:

CHILDREN'S FAMILY

- BOOK REVIEW
MY SISTER, GOOSE
by Alyssa Satin Capucilli ; illustrated by Hyewon Yum

- BOOK REVIEW
A SPOONFUL OF THE SEA
by Hyewon Yum ; illustrated by Hyewon Yum

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TOTO
by Hyewon Yum ; illustrated by Hyewon Yum

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THERE'S A ROCK CONCERT IN MY BEDROOM

by Kevin Jonas & Danielle Jonas ; illustrated by Courtney Dawson ‧ RELEASE DATE: March 29, 2022

Nice enough but not worth repeat reads.

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Emma deals with jitters before playing the guitar in the school talent show.

Pop musician Kevin Jonas and his wife, Danielle, put performance at the center of their picture-book debut. When Emma is intimidated by her very talented friends, the encouragement of her younger sister, Bella, and the support of her family help her to shine her own light. The story is straightforward and the moral familiar: Draw strength from your family and within to overcome your fears. Employing the performance-anxiety trope that’s been written many times over, the book plods along predictably—there’s nothing really new or surprising here. Dawson’s full-color digital illustrations center a White-presenting family along with Emma’s three friends of color: Jamila has tanned skin and wears a hijab; Wendy has dark brown skin and Afro puffs; and Luis has medium brown skin. Emma’s expressive eyes and face are the real draw of the artwork—from worry to embarrassment to joy, it’s clear what she’s feeling. A standout double-page spread depicts Emma’s talent show performance, with a rainbow swirl of music erupting from an amp and Emma rocking a glam outfit and electric guitar. Overall, the book reads pretty plainly, buoyed largely by the artwork. (This book was reviewed digitally.)

Nice enough but not worth repeat reads. (Picture book. 4-6)

Pub Date: March 29, 2022

ISBN: 978-0-593-35207-6

Page Count: 40

Publisher: Razorbill/Penguin

Review Posted Online: Feb. 8, 2022

Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 1, 2022

Categories:

CHILDREN'S FAMILY | CHILDREN'S ENTERTAINMENT & SPORTS

- BOOK REVIEW
THERE'S A BEACH IN MY BEDROOM
by Kevin Jonas & Danielle Jonas ; illustrated by Courtney Dawson

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I GOT YOU

by Derrick Barnes ; illustrated by Shamar Knight-Justice ‧ RELEASE DATE: July 15, 2025

Brotherly love and Black joy abound in this brilliantly told tribute to the ties that bind.

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When Mom and Dad bring baby Rasheed home for the first time, it’s love at first sight for big brother Anthony.

As the boys grow, Anthony teaches his little sibling how to build a tower with blocks (and how to knock it down with a loud “WHOP!!!”), how to ride a bike, and even how to fly (through a well-timed leap from the swings). When thunder and lightning wake them both one night, Anthony assuages Rasheed’s fears with the book’s titular refrain: “I got you.” But one day Anthony goes for a bike ride with his friends, leaving Rasheed alone and hurt. That night, Anthony explains that while he may spend time with his peers, his bond with Rasheed is unbreakable. And as the book comes to a close, with Mom and Dad introducing the boys to their new little sibling, Anthony leaves Rasheed with perhaps the greatest lesson of all: how to be a supportive big brother himself. Narrated by Rasheed, Barnes’ text is elegant in its simplicity, loving yet never saccharine, and always emotionally honest. Using varied perspectives, Knight-Justice’s richly hued, collagelike digital illustrations combine a patchwork of textures and patterns, immersing readers in this affectionate Black family’s world. Greens and blues dominate the pages, bringing to life an idyllic suburban setting.

Brotherly love and Black joy abound in this brilliantly told tribute to the ties that bind. (Picture book. 4-8)