I Can't Help But Adore Bear Wants More

I recently finished reading Pooh's Workout Book, a humorous tome in which a Visitor to the Hundred Acre Wood attempts to persuade its residents to take up an exercise regimen. Oh, Pooh makes a valiant effort to come up with a legitimate workout. But somehow, when it comes down to it, all his exercises seem to revolve around eating...

In Bear Wants More, eating is the first thing on Bear's mind. This burly beast has just woken up from a long winter's nap. With the combination of his bulk and the amount of time that must have passed since his last meal, it's no wonder Bear is ravenous. Right away, he eats his front yard - that is, all the grass growing in front of his cave. But that's not nearly enough to satisfy such a hungry hibernator. No, indeed... The bear wants more!

This refrain is repeated throughout the book as Bear's friends happen by and tempt him with promises of food in other parts of the forest. Strawberries! Clover! Fish! Bear gobbles up the goodies gratefully, enjoying the company of jubilant Mouse, gregarious Hare and sage Badger. But even after all this feasting, poor Bear's tummy is still all a-grumble. Isn't there anything that will quench his appetite?

Karma Wilson's sweet and funny story ripples along on the rhythm of her engaging verse. For instance: "Bear sniffs and he snuffles / as a sweet breeze blows. / He romps to his home. / He follows his nose." Generally, there are four lines to a page, and the writing is fairly large, growing bigger or smaller periodically for emphasis.

Complementing Wilson's text are Jane Chapman's endearing pictures, which show us the bright, verdant woods, the blue, splashy pond and the dim, homey cave. The characters are adorable: multi-colored Badger with his fishing pole; off-white, bouncy Hare; tiny tan Mouse, whose whiskers are as long as his tail; drowsy, daisy-laden Mole; handy Gopher; flying buddies Raven and Wren...

But the cuddliest of all is enormous Bear, whose plaintive pleas will earn the empathy of many a child who has desired a snack at an odd time. He often looks perplexed, wondering why his belly just won't fill up. Other times, he grins toothily, drinking in the beauty of the day. In the very beginning, he yawns widely, a gesture that could almost look intimidating if we weren't already so sure of Bear's gentle nature.

I'm used to seeing Bear and his friends in winter, having read Bear Snores On and Bear Stays Up For Christmas. It's nice to see him in his element here, not struggling to stay awake, free to wander the woods with no weather worries. Bear Wants More is a charming story for anyone who has ever wanted to say, "Please, sir, I want some more!"