HANNIBAL AND THE BEARS

by Margaret J. Baker ‧ RELEASE DATE: Aug. 15, 1966

More about those teddies who first appeared in The Shoe Shop Bears (1965, p. 575, J-189). In that book, Boots, Slippers, and Socks were personable toys, believably make-believe within their minimal milieu. This book features more non-human characters, and more action, but with their greater mobility the bears offer a weaker fantasy. When they hear about the numbers of abandoned toys at the local dump, they launch a rescue campaign and a wheeled elephant named Hannibal helps to lead them across the garbage heaps. Temporary sanctuary is offered to them at the bears' home with the Trinket family, and while the three are concerned about their welfare they are also worried about the havoc some of the younger, less responsible toys are causing in the house. The bears seem stuffier this time round, and sometimes anthropomorphic instead of fantastic, while the setting lacks the quaintly British aura of the original.

Pub Date: Aug. 15, 1966

ISBN: N/A

Page Count: -

Publisher: Farrar, Straus & Giroux

Review Posted Online: N/A

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 1, 1966

Categories: FICTION