The Cowboy's Christmas Isn't Western But Is Well-Mannered

I have always gravitated toward the cowboy lifestyle, so I was intrigued when I happened upon the picture book The Cowboy’s Christmas by Joan Walsh Anglund, who tends to stick more with poetry in most of her books. While the title character certainly looks like a little cowboy, I was rather disappointed to find that nothing he does in the book is particularly cowboyish. Nonetheless, this is a cute Christmas book encouraging children to be on their best behavior as Christmas approaches.

This is a very simple book about a cowboy who is “Especially Busy” getting ready for Christmas. Those words are two of several that are capitalized for emphasis. Like many of Anglund’s books, this one has only about one sentence on each page. It’s about half the size of a typical picture book but nearly twice the size as Anglund’s tiny gift books, so it feels fairly spacious despite its small size.

As I was reading this for the first time, it became apparent to me that it was part of a series. I have not read any of Anglund’s other cowboy books, and I think it would be helpful to read at least the first one, as that apparently establishes this character as a bit of a troublemaker. The cowboy’s actions are meant to seem extraordinary because readers already know him as a scallywag. However, nothing he does in this book suggests that, and if it weren’t for the way the text was worded, I would have no reason to suspect that he is anything other than perfectly well-mannered.

This book does not provide any information about the bear, either. Where did he come from? How did they meet? Is he visible to everyone or just the cowboy? It’s really not clear. I do find the color scheme of this book interesting, though. While the cowboy and most of the background objects are black, the bear, the mice and a few other page elements are red. It’s only the two colors, so it’s pretty drab, but the stark contrast is interesting.

Because the cowboy’s darker past is only hinted at here, there’s not much dramatic tension to be found. Instead, it’s just a straightforward account of someone getting ready for Christmas. Given his diminutive height and the typical baby face that Anglund gives him, he definitely seems to be a child, but he also lives all alone, at least without human supervision. He does share his house with a jumbo-sized bear and a family of mice. Still, he comes across as an interesting sort of kid-adult hybrid.

The Cowboy’s Christmas was published in 1972, and it looks older than that. The red and black color scheme more than anything else is what makes it seem like a product of an earlier part of the century; the capitalized words seem quaint too. It’s a good sort of nostalgia, which is something you could say about most of Anglund’s books. While it would have been nice if this book had more of a western flavor to it, the cowboy’s determination to extend goodwill to others makes for a most agreeable tale.

Patrick Wayne Wanders the British Columbian Wilderness in The Bears and I

My heart is in the mountains today, as it has been every October 12th since Colorado icon John Denver, my favorite singer-songwriter, died in a plane crash on this day in 1997. It was with this day in mind that I recently watched The Bears and I, the 1974 Disney movie for which Denver furnished the theme song. I’d never seen it before, but I knew the natural setting would ease the longing for the great outdoors that becomes so acute this time of year.

The Bears and I, directed by Bernard McEveety, is based on the book Robert Franklin Leslie wrote about his experience living in the British Columbian wilderness and helping to raise a trio of orphaned bear cubs. Patrick Wayne, son of western legend John Wayne, plays Bob, our narrator and, for significant stretches of time, the only human character on the screen. He has a robust charm about him, coming across as self-sufficient and kind-hearted. More often than not, the inconveniences that come with this solitary lifestyle amuse rather than irritate him.

However, his good nature turns to ire in the face of cruelty, which seems to be a specialty of local ruffian Sam Eagle Speaker (Val DeVargas). He is the one who orphaned the cubs he takes in, and he continues to antagonize him throughout the movie. Bob does enjoy a good relationship with level-headed store owner Oliver Red Fern (Michael Ansara), though, and he yearns to get closer to Chief Peter A-Tas-Ka-Nay (Chief Dan George), whose son served with him in Vietnam before being killed in combat. The chief is hospitable but reserved in extending his welcome, and Bob’s adoption of the bears unsettles him; the bear is his tribe’s most sacred animal, and although he can see that Bob’s intentions are good, he disapproves of the idea of these majestic animals being tamed.

The movie basically has two primary storylines. The first is Bob’s decision to take the cubs under his wing and train them in the ways of ursine behavior so that they can survive on their own in adulthood. The second involves the fact that the government plans to make this area a national park and force Chief A-Tas-Ka-Nay and his people to move elsewhere. The resolutions to both storylines come at the same time, and while the first is believably bittersweet, the second seems a bit glossed over. Still, the movie seems to strike a good balance, showing the native population in a respectful light without entirely vilifying those behind the park project. At least they are looking to preserve the wilderness instead of paving it over, and in that respect, there’s common ground upon which to build.

Wayne makes a likable lead, though his narration is a bit dry at times. Still, the strongest performances in the movie are from him and George, who carries himself with melancholy dignity as the bereaved father afraid of losing his ancestral home. More potent than either of them, however, is the land itself, captured by cinematographer Ted D. Landon. The scenery is breathtakingly gorgeous, and in addition to the bears, we see elk, wildcats, wolverines and numerous other animals. Perhaps more than anything else, this movie offers an ideal opportunity to immerse yourself in a pristine mountain landscape and ponder whether you would be up to the challenge of embracing a lifestyle suited to the likes of Rubeus Hagrid, the burly Hogswarts groundskeeper who is my favorite character in the Harry Potter series. I have a cousin who’s managed it; I suspect I’m not that rugged, but every once in a while, it’s nice to imagine…

John Denver makes it all the more enticing with Sweet Surrender, the song of self-discovery that opens the movie and is incorporated into Buddy Baker’s score. Focusing on a theme that runs through much of Denver’s music, it expresses a desire for deeper self-awareness and a sense of malaise with the day-to-day rat race. This is a man who just wants to get away and carve out a life for himself in one of the wilder places of the world. The rambling, lackadaisical pace fits the tone of most of the scenes with the bears. As a Vietnam veteran, he’s seen a lot of ugliness; now he just wants a new start. “Lost and alone on some forgotten highway traveled by many, remembered by few, lookin’ for somethin’ that I can believe in, lookin’ for somethin’ that I’d like to do with my life. There’s nothin’ behind me and nothin’ that ties me to somethin’ that might’ve been true yesterday. Tomorrow is open; right now it seems to be more than enough just to be here today…”

The Bears and I isn’t without its flaws; even at an hour and a half, it sometimes seems as though it could have used some tighter editing. The pace is mostly plodding, and I’m not sure that the national park storyline works quite as well as the bear one does. Still, it’s a stirring story with an irresistible setting. I don’t know how it took me so long to see this movie, but it was the perfect way for me to settle my mind on the great outdoors during what always turns out to be a time of reflection. If you’ve ever heard the mountains calling your name, you should give this movie a try, too.

Get to Know Winnie the Pooh's Namesake in A Bear Named Winnie

This Friday, the new Disney movie Winnie the Pooh hits theaters, and though I’m not sure how well the tubby little cubby can compete against the final installment of that equally popular British export known as Harry Potter, I know I’m not the only one looking forward to seeing him on the big screen again. In anticipation of that event, I watched A Bear Named Winnie, the 2004 live-action film directed by John Kent Harrison, who wrote it with John Goldsmith based on the true story by Simon Vaughan.

In this movie, set during World War I, we get the story of Lt. Harry Colebourn (Michael Fassbender), a young Canadian soldier in a veterinary corps who rescues an orphaned bear cub and smuggles her aboard the train to training camp. He names her Winnipeg after his hometown and calls her Winnie for short. While his gruff commander, Col. John Barret (Gil Bellows), warns him that he’s going to have to do something about her before they head off to do some real fighting, Winnie quickly grows very attached to Harry, and shaking her off isn’t going to be so easy.

Winnie is the bear after whom Winnie the Pooh is named, and the movie is framed by scenes several years later that show her at the London Zoo, where she is one of the most popular residents. The bulk of the movie deals with her presence at the training camp in Quebec and later in England, after Harry pulls off another smuggling act, this time in a sea chest. His chief accomplices in this endeavor are geeky Ivy League graduate Ian Macray (Jonathon Young) and cheerful goofball Randy Taylor (Aaron Ashmore). As powerful as the bond between Winnie and Henry is, the movie is just as much about the friendship between these young men, particularly Henry and Ian.

Winnie, played by three different bears named Chester, Charlie and Bonkers, is a charming creature, though she is loud and rather disaster-prone. She has a habit of bellowing in moments of distress, and her ingenuity causes problems when she escapes and makes for the mess tent. However, in times of tranquility she is a comfort to those around her, whether she is nuzzling noses with the camp horses or wrapping her furry limbs around Harry in a firm bear hug. There are moments of comedy with her disastrous antics, but the story more often veers toward the heartwarming.

The only member of the cast I recognized was Ashmore, who has so consistently charmed me as Smallville’s fresh-faced Jimmy Olsen. His character here is of a similar disposition, and he adds levity to most of the scenes in which he appears. Young brings an uptight but sympathetic air to Ian, who is sheltered and jittery but very passionate about his veterinary work. The core friendship between Ian and the more outgoing Henry is helpful in getting us to understand the plight of soldiers during this time. The stern but kind presence Bellows brings stands in contrast to the lunacy of the unit’s top commander (David Suchet), a general who is far removed from soldiers’ concerns.

A Bear Named Winnie is mostly a war story, though its PG rating keeps it from becoming too graphic, even as it delves into some of the harsh realities of wartime. It’s a tale of friendship and how bonds forged in trying times can carry the despairing through to happier days. Christopher Robin and A. A. Milne are characters in the movie, and an end-credits note confirms their identities, but this is not really their tale. They have just enough of a screen presence to tie the movie in with the Winnie whose popularity continues a century later. That Winnie remains my favorite of all fictional bears, but it seems the real Winnie had a lot to recommend her as well.

Jan Brett Tackles a Traditional Classic in Goldilocks and the Three Bears

I have always loved stories about bears. One of the first of these tales to enchant me, and many other youngsters, was Goldilocks and the Three Bears. I’ve seen many different versions of this story, some straightforward, some with an unusual spin. Jan Brett, one of my favorite author-illustrators, came out with The Three Snow Bears a couple years back, and I found it a wonderful take on the classic story with an Inuit twist. But I hadn’t realized that she also tackled the tale in a more traditional form. If I were going to introduce a young child to the story now, I think Brett’s Goldilocks and the Three Bears might just be the version I would pick.

Brett retells the tale, but it’s such a simple story with such familiar contours that as I read it for the first time, it felt like the story I’d my parents read to me when I was a toddler. A note on the copyright page indicates that the book was adapted from The Green Fairy Book, edited by Andrew Lang. I wonder if I ever ran across that version… At any rate, it seems Brett didn’t have to change much. She worded things in her own way, and there’s a certain elegance to the sentences, but it’s also basic and repetitive enough that young children will be able to recite along with the bears’ exclamations before long.

The book features only four characters, at least in terms of having anything to do with the story at hand. Goldilocks is a little girl with long golden braids who stumbles upon the cottage of the three bears while they are away from home, out enjoying a morning walk. Brett does not actually give the bears names, merely descriptions. So instead of Papa, Mama and Baby Bear, we have “a little, small, wee bear,” “a middle-sized bear” and “a great, huge bear.” Every time she mentions the bears, she uses this precise terminology.

Goldilocks and the bears alike wear clothing that shows a Scandinavian influence. The book never indicates what country we are supposed to be in; my guess would be Norway, but I’m not certain. I love the vibrant colors and the intricate patterns, and I especially love the bears’ cozy home, which is entwined with trees and rather resembles the abode of an Ewok, the teddy bear-like indigenous Endor residents from Return of the Jedi. It’s completely charming.

One thing I appreciate about this version is that it allows me to sympathize with Goldilocks more than usual. I mean, she really is a pretty presumptuous girl, but Brett presents her in such a way that she merely seems endearingly curious, not to mention exhausted and hungry after her disorienting trek through the woods. Nobody ever seems to give Snow White a hard time for making herself at home in the house of the seven dwarfs, but I tend to see Goldilocks as more of a mischief-maker than a girl in distress. Here, it’s easier to see her in a positive light, making me wonder whether she would actually flee the bears at the end of this story or if they would take pity on her and befriend her.

One of the most distinctive attributes of Brett’s books is her use of borders. In this book, it’s not as pronounced as in some, but on several pages, the narrow strips on either side of a two-page spread offer a window into what is happening elsewhere in the tale. If the main painting shows the bears at home preparing porridge, we see Goldilocks on her way in the border. If she is the primary focus of the two-page spread, we see the bears on the sides, wandering through the woods. Additionally, these borders give us a glimpse of a family of mice, or at least a representation of them. It looks as though they are carved in wood, and the design is quite lovely.

I can always count on Jan Brett to come up with appealing takes on folktales, some of which are familiar to me, some of which aren’t. Few tales have been with me as long as Goldilocks and the Three Bears has, and it’s wonderful to see it in such great hands.

Downey and Galifianakis Make Odd Driving Buddies in Due Date

I love the dollar theater. I went there loads of times in college, and it’s still an ideal destination for a last-minute outing. There aren’t as many options there as at the main theater – half a dozen as opposed to upwards of a dozen – but it’s almost a guarantee that one of the movies playing will be something I haven’t seen before and that I can tolerate. For just a buck or two, I don’t mind if I don’t love it. I just want to get some enjoyment out of the viewing experience.

My latest dollar movie was Due Date, the road trip buddy comedy directed by Todd Phillips. It reminded me of several other movies, most recently Dinner for Schmucks. You’ve got an uptight but basically decent businessman and the lovable loser who latches onto him. The oddball brings a lot of turmoil into the normal guy’s life, but ultimately he decides their unlikely friendship is worth all the hurdles. This is also a road trip comedy, so sprinkle in some strange characters and situations encountered along the way, plus with a whole lot of erratic driving, and you’ve got a pretty good idea of what to expect here.

Due Date stars Robert Downey, Jr. as Peter Highman, a man who just wants to get home to his wife in time for the birth of their first child. Downey brings a jittery sort of energy to his performance that makes me think of Woody Allen. Peter’s a smart guy with a lot to be stressed out about, with the result that he is often surly. Meanwhile, Zach Galifianakis makes Ethan Tremblay, the aspiring actor who Peter ends up stuck traveling cross-country with, a cuddly teddy bear of a fellow – who you just sort of want to throttle now and then.

Generally, both characters are likable, but Peter needs to learn to loosen up and Ethan to wake up. His obliviousness to the world around him is sometimes alarming – especially when he’s behind the wheel. The other companion on their road trip is Ethan’s dog, but he doesn’t add much aside from a recurring crude joke. And it’s the crudeness that kept me from really getting into this movie, along with the profanity. I find that I’d like most R-rated comedies better if they were PG-13, since most of what’s added with the higher rating feels very gratuitous.

Jamie Foxx has a brief but fairly enjoyable role as Peter’s old friend Darryl, and Michelle Monaghan brings a definite sweetness to Peter’s wife Sarah, who we primarily encounter over the phone. Mostly, though, this is about Peter and Ethan, and despite obnoxious qualities on the part of both characters, I was rooting for them to make it through their journey and remain friends. While I’m glad I didn’t pay full price for it, Due Date was a decent way to spend an afternoon.

Bear's Christmas Surprise Encourages Patience Instead of Peeking

Waiting for Christmas to come without peeking at the presents can be very difficult for a young child. It’s all too easy to stumble upon a stack of gifts in the closet and find the temptation to open them overwhelming. That’s the problem that Bear, who seems to be a little plush teddy bear along the lines of the original Winnie the Pooh, faces in Bear’s Christmas Surprise, written by Elizabeth Winthrop and illustrated by Patience Brewster.

The book is a sequel to Bear and Mrs. Duck, which I haven’t read, though I gather that it’s about Bear getting to know his babysitter, Mrs. Duck, who plays a central role in this book. The book’s only other character is Nora, the young girl who is like a mother to Bear. Well, there’s also Santa Claus, but his presence is only hinted at.

Brewster’s illustrations have a charming homey quality about them. I found myself very much reminded of Camilla Ashforth’s Willow at Christmas, except that in that book there are no humans to be seen. Willow is a totally self-sufficient bear, while Bear is just a youngster who toddles around in overalls and requires a babysitter. Interestingly, though there are no mentions of religious observances within the book itself, the back-cover illustration depicts Mrs. Duck and Bear decorating the Christmas tree with a Nativity set spread out before them.

While Bear is a cute little fellow, I am especially taken with Mrs. Duck, a large white duck with big waddling feet and a fuzzy Santa hat that she wears to be festive. She’s a good sport, asking Bear to suggest activities and cheerfully going along with whatever he proposes, whether it’s drawing a picture or playing hide and seek. She has a slightly daffy air about her that makes her even more endearing.

Winthrop’s prose is fairly simple and straightforward, but she tells a good story, especially at the climax when Bear, whom Nora has expressly forbidden from peeking, finds himself in an enclosed space with a pile of wrapped presents and can’t resist picking them up and shaking them. The feelings of guilt and regret are explored well, as is Nora’s willingness to forgive. I also like the fact that Bear has been attuned enough to his babysitter to know what she wants for Christmas and is considerate enough to suggest they get it for her.

For young readers of about three to seven years of age, Bear’s Christmas Surprise serves as a reminder of the value of patience and generosity.

Walking Thunder Is a Family-Friendly Frontier Film

A little while back, I rented the movie Higher Ground, a made-for-TV film from the 1980s starring John Denver and featuring two of his songs. When I saw that Netflix also had Walking Thunder, another John Denver movie, I was eager to give that a shot too.

Written and directed by Craig Clyde, Walking Thunder is a movie of comparable tone and quality. It’s a family-friendly film involving father-son conflict, explorations of the wilderness and interactions with indigenous people. Unlike Higher Ground, this movie is mostly set in the 1800s, though it is framed in the present as a boy reads the journal of one of his ancestors.

The movie has a bit of a Little House on the Prairie feel to it, except that the children in the McKay family are boys rather than girls. Patriarch John (Denver) is restless and rugged, not content to remain with a steady job when it means he has to be employed by someone else. His wife Emma (Irene Miracle) tries to be patient, but her frustration with his choices becomes apparent after an accident leaves them stranded in the mountains for the winter. To make matters worse, she is expecting their third child in just a couple of months.

To Jacob (David Tom) and his younger brother, this is all a grand adventure, especially once they cross paths with mountain man Abner Murdoch (James Read) and his elderly companion, the mystical Dark Wind (Ted Thin Elk). These are the two most engaging characters in the movie. Abner is an exotic outsider who instantly has the adulation of Jacob, though he tries to discourage it. Meanwhile, though Dark Wind doesn’t speak English, he becomes an invaluable asset to the rest of the family when Jacob joins Abner on a trip to the trading post.

This is a wholesome, family-friendly movie, and it features some spectacular landscapes, not to mention a number of scenes involving Walking Thunder (Bart the Bear), an enormous bear with a strange connection to the land where the McKays have decided to settle for the winter. The pace is a bit plodding; it’s an hour and a half long but feels considerably longer.

There’s something a little wooden about most of the acting and dialogue, and Denver is no exception to that, though John does share some nice moments of vulnerability with Jacob. He has a very serious air about him throughout the movie, rarely smiling and looking especially solemn with his jumbo-sized mustache. And, most unfortunately, he doesn’t do any singing at all. The setting seems very fitting for him, though.

I’m not sure how well this movie would hold the attention of most children. Jacob is reasonably engaging, and there are some bad guys who blunder in partway through to provide a mix of menace and comic relief. On the whole, though, the comedy quotient is pretty low, and the story tends toward the excessively didactic at times. For kids interested in frontier times, this would probably be a good choice, however. A kind of throwback to some of the old live action Wonderful World of Disney movies, Walking Thunder is also John Denver’s last movie, having been completed the year he died. While it’s not the most thrilling frontier saga I’ve ever seen, I think he would be proud of the results.

A Bear Longs for Some Quiet Time in Jill Murphy's Peace At Last

Sometimes, getting a good night’s sleep is no easy task. I’m a fairly light sleeper, and I find myself distracted by all sorts of nighttime noises, so I can relate to the plight of Mr. Bear in Peace At Last, Jill Murphy’s cute tale of nocturnal woe. It reminds me of Let Papa Sleep, in which a pair of rambunctious rabbits receive repeated reprimands from their mother to keep the noise down so their father can sleep soundly. In this case, however, Mrs. Bear is utterly oblivious to her husband’s problem. In fact, she is its most immediate cause.

Mr. Bear cannot sleep. The trouble starts with the fact that Mrs. Bear falls asleep first, and she is a snorer. A loud snorer. I once shared a living room with a sleeping pig, and I certainly didn’t get much sleep that night. I can only imagine how much more noise a bear would make. So, although Mr. Bear, Mrs. Bear and Baby Bear all go to bed tired, Mr. Bear does not fall asleep. It soon becomes clear that the youngster hasn’t hit the hay either, for Mr. Bear’s attempt to achieve blissful slumber in his son’s room is hampered by the lad’s very active imagination.

No matter where he goes, poor Mr. Bear finds himself surrounded by aggravating sounds. As his aggravation grows, he repeats his despairing refrain: “Oh, NO! I can’t stand THIS.” His actions are consistent with his words. On each page, we see him in different surroundings, attempting to bury his head under his blanket or muffle the offending noise by placing a pillow over his ears. Meanwhile, Murphy shows us what is happening in the rest of the area where he has chosen to attempt a nap.

In general, the pages on the left are in black and white and contain simple text, while the pages on the right are in full color. There’s a soft, fuzzy quality to the drawings that emphasizes the cuddliness of these bears and the comfort of their homey existence. For the most part, the left-hand pages are white, but a couple of them are black, so that the words and illustrations on these pages are in white, which creates a rather cool-looking effect. One such page shows a bat flapping to meet the sky; another shows a pair of cats convening on a bright wall.

The right-hand pages are the most fun, though, as they show Mr. Bear’s discomfort in vibrant detail. He’s a lovable fellow, so I suppose it’s not very nice to laugh at him, but I suspect most of us have suffered at least one night of similar sleeplessness, so the laughter is more out of sympathy than derision. Meanwhile, because the focus is on the parent, perhaps young children might be more inclined to take pity on their sleepy parents and keep the noise to a dull roar when naps are in progress.

Peace At Last is a funny book designed to encourage laughter and participation from children in the pre-kindergarten set. The writing is basic and repetitive, and there’s a very simple structure to the story that makes it easy to anticipate what will happen next. Thus, this is a great bedtime story, with a surprise here and there to add interest. For tiny tots whose bedtimes would not be complete without a teddy bear or two, Peace At Last is a cozy way to head off to dreamland.

Pip Rejects Hibernation for a Talking Tree in The Christmas Cub

Over the years, I have read dozens of Christmas books, and I have noticed that a few particular types of stories keep popping up again and again. The Little Drummer Boy. A Christmas Carol. A Visit from St. Nicholas. Books about snowmen. Books about a character’s first Christmas, usually focusing on an animal, often one that ought to be hibernating. Fitting right into this last group of stories is The Christmas Cub, a Level 2 Hello Reader! book designed to be read by children from kindergarten to second grade.

Justine Korman Fontes writes this simple story that treads familiar ground as a bear cub named Pip obeys his curiosity instead of his mother’s lethargic instructions to stay in his cave for the winter. What he discovers is a cabin containing a small family much like the Ingalls family in Little House in the Big Woods. Pip observes the people intently while Evergreen, a cheerful talking tree growing outside the cabin, explains to the bear what is going on.

Children’s literature is so full of talking animals that I always accept them without question. But talking trees is another matter. This is not the only Christmas book I’ve read to give a tree a personality, but it’s usually more organic; we get the tree’s feelings, but it doesn’t speak, and there’s maybe just a hint of a smile or a frown in the arrangement of the branches. Here, the tree chatters on amicably and always has a pleasant smile and rosy cheeks. What’s more, that expression is plastered on a smooth green spot toward the top of the tree that makes it look very phony indeed.

There’s also the matter of the bear’s parents, who issue one feeble warning to stay in the cave and then immediately fall asleep, never to be seen again. Sleepy parents are a recurring theme in many books of this type, but Pip’s mom and dad just check out completely. Then there’s the gift that Pip decides to give the tree. It’s a cute idea resulting in a vibrant picture, but it makes no scientific sense whatsoever. Then again, what do I expect from a book with talking trees? Speaking of which, this book credits Pip with the invention of the first Christmas tree, when they had been in use in various places since the 1500s, well before the setting of this story.

While I can’t help being a little weirded out by the beatifically grinning tree, Lucinda McQueen’s illustrations are otherwise fairly endearing. The creatures are about halfway between cartoonish and realistic, with the chipper gray squirrel my favorite of the background animals. I like Fontes’ dedication to her illustrator: “For Lulu, who draws the purr as well as the fur.” McQueen definitely succeeds in bringing across a general feeling of contentment.

The Christmas Cub is fairly cute, and most children in this age group should find it a manageable read. But given the wealth of “first Christmas” books out there, this is hardly the first in the category that I would recommend.

Chaucer's First Winter Is Best When Paired With the Bear

For several years, I worked at Borders Express during the Christmas season, and I was always anxious to see what the annual exclusive Christmas bear would look like. My favorite was 2004’s Booker, which came complete with an adorable pair of Harry Potter-style spectacles. I also loved the polar bear released a couple of years ago, and though I’m not working there this year, I’m tempted to drop by and pick up the panda I spotted there last week. The Borders bear for 2008 had the very fitting name of Chaucer, and his scarf, which was covered with letters, accentuated his ties to literacy. Even more impressively, he had a book all to himself: Chaucer’s First Winter, written by Stephen Krensky and illustrated by Henry Cole.

In the book, Chaucer is a young bear determined not to sleep through winter. The story, written in prose, is a simple one, the basic gist of which has been explored several times before. It particularly reminds me of Froggy’s Best Christmas. A young animal who should be hibernating decides instead to get the most out of winter and packs in as much fun as he can before falling asleep. Chaucer doesn’t have to enjoy the holiday alone; his friends Nugget and Kit, a squirrel and a fox, are happy to join in the festivities, which include building a snowman, sledding and ice skating. Meanwhile, his parents keep a watchful eye to ensure that he doesn’t get into any mischief.

The writing style is pleasant, with such phrases as “glittering rows of icicles, the pine trees dressed in white” complementing the pictures nicely. A bit of conflict arrives in the form of a blizzard, but this just leads to even more coziness as Chaucer and his friends barricade themselves against the icy blast by building a snow fort. The little bear manages to stay awake all through the winter, falling asleep only once spring has arrived, which reminds me of many a sleepover I had back in elementary school - though of course, we stayed up for hours, not weeks!

The plush Chaucer is the best part of this book-and-bear set, and now that there’s a new bear to take his place, getting your hands on the protagonist may be a little tricky. If you can pin the snuggly fellow down, then the book is a fun companion. As a stand-alone book, Chaucer’s First Winter is cute but ultimately unremarkable.

Lift the Flaps as The Berenstain Bears Trim the Tree

The Berenstain Bears have been around for a long time, long enough to have several books dedicated to their Christmas celebrations. These include The Berenstain Bears’ Christmas Tree, The Berenstain Bears Meet Santa Bear and The Berenstain Bears Save Christmas. More recent than any of these is The Berenstain Bears Trim the Tree, a book that is not so much about the story as it is about the pictures, and finding little surprises in the illustrations.

This lift-the-flap book aims at a slightly younger audience than the typical Berenstain book, with little in the way of narration and less in the way of plot or character. For a book of this format, such things can afford to be a bit lacking, since it’s really all about lifting up those stiff bits of paper and unearthing whatever is hidden underneath. The reason for the peeking in this story is that various items keep disappearing, prompting inquiries of “Where is [the missing object]?”

Like most books in the series, this one is full of colorful illustrations, both above the flaps and below. Each page has just a single flap, so it’s not a book that’s likely to keep youngsters occupied for long periods of time, but it’s a start. A trek up to the attic for ornaments is fun and may inspire kids to check out their own attics, if they’re lucky enough to have them, for long-lost treasures. There’s also a Christmas light-untangling scene that should ring true with anyone who has ever hung those delightful but dastardly decorations.

Another nice element of this book is the fact that it includes Honey Bear, the youngest member of the Bear family who has only been a part of the series for about a decade. There’s a mildly chaotic feel to the book, but on the whole it’s rather uneventful. Additionally, because it’s not a board book, it might not hold up too well with vigorous young readers. But at least for the first couple of times through, The Berenstain Bears Trim the Tree is a fun option for young Berenstain Bears fans.

Animal Slapstick Abounds in Dr. Dolittle 2

In the classic Rex Harrison musical based on Hugh Lofting's book series, Dr. John Dolittle is a man who has dedicated his life to the linguistic study of animals, hoping to devise a way of communicating with them. His long years of effort eventually pay off, much to the delight of eager viewers like me. More recently, Eddie Murphy adopted the moniker Dr. John Dolittle for a film whose premise is only similar in the most basic of ways. John also develops the ability to talk to animals. But he doesn't want it. He rejects his ability, and it takes most of the family-friendly comedy for him to come to grips with it. In Dr. Dolittle 2, however, he has finally embraced this gift. It's his embarrassed teenage daughter Charisse (Raven-Symone) who has a problem with it.

Dr. Dolittle 2 is just as innocuous as the first film. It's a firmly PG movie about family togetherness and the preservation of the environment. John, concerned about the growing rift between him and Charisse, proposes a European family vacation to get away from all the eager pet owners demanding his attention. However, he has to put the plans on hold when he receives a plea from several forest creatures to save their home from destruction by business mogul Joe Potter (Jeffrey Jones). He can see only one way of doing it: releasing Archie (Steve Zahn), a rare species of bear previously living in a circus, into the forest and matching him up with a mate. The judge to whom John appeals agrees the replenishment of the species is a worthy cause and grants him a month to get Archie acclimated and amorous.

Zahn brings his usual laid-back, slacker style to the voicing of Archie, who isn't all that interested in the plan - at least until he falls for Ava (Lisa Kudrow), the intended object of his affections. While John tries to teach Archie to fend for himself in the wild, the bear must figure out how to impress the initially disdainful Ava. Meanwhile, John's relationship with Charisse continues to deteriorate, and he still has to deal with the ailments and complaints of a variety of other animals while he puts Archie through his Rocky-style training regimen. Wise-cracking mutt Lucky (Norm McDonald) narrates the story, putting a comical spin on everything John does and embarking on a side adventure of his own.

A lot of the humor in the movie is aimed at kids, with slapstick the most prevalent brand of comedy. Whether it's rats eating their way out of a birthday cake or chickens launching eggs at farmers in solidarity with the forest dwellers who fear losing their home, director Steve Carr gives us plenty to laugh at. Some of the jokes rely on bodily functions, with one particularly onerous scene involving Archie attempting to use a restaurant rest room; the movie really didn't need those moments, and I wish they hadn't been included. Also, a bit in which Crocodile Hunter Steve Irwin gets attacked by an alligator seems distasteful now in light of his death. Most of the humor is inoffensive, though, and I found Murphy more likable in the role the second time around.

With so many different animals voicing their opinions throughout the movie, there are quite a few fairly famous folks in minor roles that might send you running to IMDb, among them Andy Dick, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Isaac Hayes, Michael Rapaport and Frankie Muniz. The special effects are decent, so while the moving of the animals' mouths sometimes looks a bit cheesy, it's not distracting, and because most of the movie is set in a pristine patch of forest, there are some pretty scenic landscapes.

Dr. Dolittle 2 is rather corny and predictable, but it's also a fun movie the family can enjoy together. If you've ever longed to talk with the animals, I recommend hobnobbing with Rex Harrison first, but Eddie Murphy's fresh take on the concept also promises plenty of entertainment.

Stunning Animation and Tender Relationships Make Brother Bear 2 a Worthy Sequel

Back when Brother Bear came out, I was wowed by the beauty of the previews and figured it would be the most visually appealing Disney movie since Pocahontas. The sweeping panoramas of unspoiled wilderness certainly didn't disappoint, but I wondered if such care would be taken with Brother Bear 2.

This sequel may have been direct-to-video, but I found it just about as enthralling as the original. If you can get past the premise of a guy turning into a bear, it's a fun, romantic romp with breathtaking scenery and well-written songs. While the story is largely about Kenai (Patrick Dempsey) and his "adopted" kid brother Koda (Jeremy Suarez), the primary focus is on Nita (Mandy Moore), Kenai's childhood sweetheart.

After Kenai saved her from drowning when they were children, he gave her an amulet to represent the depth of their friendship. Unsurprisingly, the two lost touch when he became a bear, and now he's a distant memory to her, but a reunion becomes a necessity when her attempt to enter into an arranged marriage is unsuccessful because the powers that be consider her already committed because of the necklace. Her task? Find Kenai, and go with him to the spot where the amulet was given so that they can destroy it together during the Vernal Equinox.

Nita is aided in her mission by the temporarily bestowed gift of being able to communicate with animals. With the speech barrier gone, other challenges separating her from her old friend seem much more surmountable. The real issue is that once Nita and Kenai reunite and begin to fall into their old rhythm, it's clear that affection between these two runs very deep. Is breaking that bond really the best course of action?

There are plenty of adventurous scenes to keep youngsters entertained, including a thrilling pursuit through a racing river and a treetop battle with a troop of raccoons that recalls Jane's troubles with monkeys in Tarzan. There's also plenty of comic relief from moose pals Rutt (Rick Moranis) and Tuke (Dave Thomas), who are fixated on securing the admiration of a pair of female moose who couldn't be less interested. Back in the village, Nita's squabbling aunts also provide a few laughs, and spirited Koda feels a bit like wise-cracking Donkey, with Kenai and Nita as Shrek and Fiona.

But the movie is more about heart than humor, from the sensitive songs by Melissa Etheridge to the dynamics among the main trio and Nita's relationship with her tender, widowed father (Jim Cummings). As Kenai finds himself torn between his self-appointed duty as caretaker to Koda and his desire to return to his former life with Nita, it becomes fairly easy to guess at the unconventional ending, but that doesn't prevent it from being a touching conclusion to a sequel that was obviously handled with great care.

Embrace the Warmth of Bear's First Christmas

Bears and Christmas books seem to go together especially well. Rarely have I seen such a harmonious pairing of the two as in Bear's First Christmas, written by Robert Kinerk and illustrated by Jim LaMarche. Just a glance at the cover, which shows the shaggy young bear catching snowflakes on his tongue in the pink light of sunrise, gives a good indication of the beauty to follow.

Kinerk weaves his tale in rhyme, set in the whimsical Aunt Mildred font. I don't usually pay much mind to the lettering in books, but this seems so perfect for the cozy story that I had to mention it. I've found many Christmas books that rhyme sloppily, with little attention to meter. That's not the case here. The fairy tale-like narration flows smoothly and artfully, never detracting from the wonder of the gloriously illustrated pages.

The story begins with the bear going to sleep for the winter. Just before he does, he notices a "brave little tree" outside his cave that "struggled to grow where no tree ought to be." He intends to sleep through the winter, but his slumber is interrupted by the sound of music, and in venturing out to investigate the source, he happens upon a hungry crow, a frustrated moose and a cold family of pheasants.

He sets aside his goal to help them, but the music continues, and eventually they find themselves gazing together through a picture window at a family singing carols in the hazy glow of Christmas tree lights. What a magnificent sight! But it's still a frosty night, and the bear and his friends need a warm place to stay...

The book took a slightly different turn than I expected. I thought it might be one of those stories like The Christmas Visitor, in which the protagonist expects a kingly visitor but instead opens his home to a series of paupers, only to discover that he has been playing host to his expected guest after all. The bear does put aside his own desires temporarily in order to come to the aid of his fellow creatures, but they remain with him, so that the story becomes one primarily of fellowship.

Bear's First Christmas is written with enough sophistication to appeal to older readers, while its poetic narration, comparable to that in A Visit From St. Nicholas, and glowing paintings, done in acrylic and colored pencil, make it a great read-aloud for younger children. Fans of the series of bear books by Karma Wilson and Jane Chapman should also delight in this warm and fuzzy woodland tale.

Bears in the Night Provides Minimal Fright

When my brother Nathan was little, one of his favorite books was Stan and Jan Berenstain's The Bears' Picnic, in which Papa Bear leads his wife and son on a meandering hunt for the perfect picnic spot, so I thought of him when I spotted Bears in the Night at a recent library sale. Ultimately, this book has less in common with the Papa-Bear-Acts-Like-a-Dope stories than the Small-Bear-Has-an-Independent-Adventure stories. This is a Bright and Early book, designed for the most inexperienced of readers, and as such it is in league with the likes of Old Hat, New Hat and Inside, Outside, Upside-Down.

Instead of the simple verse of The Bears' Picnic, Bears in the Night is a series of directions that build upon each other, much like progressive songs such as the Irish Rovers' The Rattlin' Bog. It's a good way for children to learn the orienting words "up," "down," "at," "through," "between," "around," "over," "under," "in" and "out".

I find the illustrations somewhat perplexing because we get two glimpses of Mama Bear, who looks just like Mama from the vast majority of Berenstain Bears books, but she has six children - sextuplets by the looks of it - and there is no trace of Papa Bear. So I'm not sure just who this family is in relation to the one we usually see; maybe it's Mama's twin sister and six nephews... The bears' expressive faces, peeking out through a dark bluish atmosphere, tell more than the words, as they creep outside smugly, only to have their wide-eyed faces turn terrified as a loud 'WHOOOOOO" fills the air.

When I showed it to Nathan, he sarcastically commented, "This book has quite the compelling plot!" Okay, so an 18-year-old can breeze through it in all of about a minute and might not find the bears' climactic encounter with an owl on Spook Hill - "They don't call it Spook Hill for nothin'!" Nathan piped up - very impressive. But he would've eaten this right up 13 years ago...

Bears in the Night lacks the distinctive characters found in most of these books, and its plot so simplistic that no verbs are needed. There's not a scrap of dialogue; the entire narrative consists of phrases like "out the window" and "through the woods". But if you're looking for a spooky story for a tiny tot, this might just fit the bill, as it builds suspense without being too scary. So grab a night-light and read Bears in the Night!

11 Pairs of Outstanding Animal Movies

I am an animal lover, so movies about animals have always been among my favorites. Here are ten pairs of outstanding animal flicks - eh, make it 11 for good measure. There are just way too many good ones out there...

Two Brothers / The Bear - If you're looking for outstanding nature footage, either of these will do. Both are efforts by director Jean-Jacques Annaud attempting to instill in audiences a respect for nature. The Bear barely has any dialogue at all, leaving the bulk of the action to the bears, while the few humans in the film don't have much to say. Two Brothers involves a lot more people, but once again the main focus is on two creatures of the same species making their way in the world when their well-being is threatened by humans.

Old Yeller / The Yearling - Tearjerkers. Just about everybody must know by now how Old Yeller ends, and The Yearling isn't any better. But in the meantime, they are great stories about powerful friendships between boys and the animals they love, and about how life forces those boys to grow up too quickly.

Bambi / The Lion King - In the first, we get haunting hints of humans, while in the second, there are no traces of people to be found. The animation on both films is gorgeous, displaying all the glory of two very different natural landscapes and its inhabitants. Both feature fairly carefree young princes that lose a parent, drastically change their living arrangements, fall in love with childhood playmates and take on the leadership roles they were born to play in closing scenes that echo the films' dramatic openings.

The Shaggy Dog / The Incredible Mr. Limpet - Pure silliness about people turning into animals. The former has more ridiculous sight gags than you can toss a stick at, and its sequels are similarly ludicrous. I haven't seen the recent Tim Allen adaptation, but despite advances in special effects, I can't imagine it provided more laughs than the original. The latter, meanwhile, boasts Don Knotts, who's always good for a laugh, and Don Knotts as a fish is even better. I'm always a fan of half-animated, half-life action films, and this one is lots of fun.

Beethoven / 101 Dalmatians - I like the original 101 Dalmtians just fine, but the new version tickles my fancy even more. It's just the right amount of slapstick for a modern-day Disney movie - not quite as relentless as in years past, but still plenty of well-executed gags, not to mention some very sweet moments, all those adorable puppies, and Hugh Laurie. And Beethoven may have gone a little overboard with the sequels, but the first one is a blast, another throwback to classic Disney family films; Dean Jones even shows up as a not-so-competent villain. Grand fun.

The Rescuers Down Under / Cheetah - Down with poachers! One of these is animated and the other live action, but both feature valiant struggles to save endangered creatures. One is a bald eagle, the other a cheetah. The latter is an inspiring story of friendship and determination complete with wonderful footage of Africa, while the former features dazzling animation of the Australian outback and its dazzling array of creatures, not to mention one of my all-time favorite Disney villains, voiced by George C. Scott.

Andre / Free Willy - Both of these inspirational movies are about children who are outcasts in one way or another bonding with aquatic mammals. In each case, the animal is the child's closest friend, yet the time comes when they realize that it is in the best interests of the creature to depart. Both films thus come to a conclusion that is both exhilarating and sad.

Fly Away Home / March of the Penguins - Two very different types of migration, both very inspiring. The first is more of a traditional movie than the second, telling the true story of a girl and her father who use ultra-lights to help guide a flock of geese to their proper home at the changing of the seasons. The second is more a general story of survival that repeats itself again and again. It's a documentary, but that doesn't signal boring, since the cinematography is exceptional and Morgan Freeman's narration has all the right shading to help us see the beauty in these creatures forced to cope with such a forbidding environment.

The Incredible Journey / Homeward Bound - Same story, two different versions. The first is a lot closer to the real story, and the movements of the animals on their epic trek are compelling enough on their own that there's no need to imagine dialogue for the intrepid pets. But when they do talk, in the second film, it adds another, albeit not quite as realistic, dimension to the tale. The dynamics of the three very different personalities add to the fun and allow for some truly heartwarming moments.

Watership Down / The Rats of NIMH - Two fairly dark animated films about small animals - rabbits and rats - trying to start over after their lives are fundamentally altered by humans. The somber tone of each is alleviated by a raucous bird providing comic relief and a gorgeously soothing theme song.

Babe / Charlotte's Web - And we mustn't forget about the pigs. These two films feature beautiful cinematography and state-of-the-art computer animation techniques allowing real animals' mouths to speak in synch with human actors. Both movies are adaptations of classic children's books about porkers who evade the slaughterhouse thanks to a combination of sweet-naturedness and very good friends. The latter ends on a bittersweet note, but the former's conclusion is just plain satisfying, in no small part thanks to James Cromwell's outstanding portrayal of the taciturn farmer who sees the possibilities in an unassuming little pig.

Well, I think that's more than enough. I was supposed to list ten and instead I mentioned 22. And I've no doubt seen another 22 that are worth a look. What can I say? Movies and animals. They just go together so well...

I'm Not as Enamored With Wilson as Usual in Bear Hugs

I got my hands on Bear Hugs: Romantically Ridiculous Animal Rhymes, a collection of humorous poetry by Karma Wilson and illustrated by Suzanne Watts, about a month and a half too late. From the pink cover to the sappy sentiments stored inside, this book seems designed especially for Valentine's Day. Included in the book are 20 short poems, some written in the first person and some from a more detached viewpoint. Most are corny enough to be featured on Valentines distributed to classmates via those prettily decorated shoeboxes that always sit atop desks on that holiday.

Since first reading Wilson's Bear Snores On, I have been hooked on her books, which generally feature adorable illustrations and narration that cleverly uses rhyme, repetition and wordplay to create an irresistible story. Bear Hugs is not a story. Moreover, while children will probably find at least some of the rhymes silly, the pun-tastic jokes seem designed to attract adults as well. Most poems have a punch line playing off of the specific animal involved. For instance, a rooster wants to ask a pretty young hen out but is too chicken, while a frog overdramatically states, "If you love me, / I'll croak with delight. / If you don't - / I'll simply croak."

Watts' illustrations fit the verse, looking just like the sort of pictures that would come in a box of 20 Valentines with cute sayings on them. Mostly, they feel a bit generic, not as distinctive or attractive as the work of other illustrators Wilson has worked with. This may have been a deliberate stylistic choice, as a sort of parody of traditional children's Valentines, but I was rather disappointed to find that I was unable to fall in love with the pictures in a book revolving around romance.

Additionally, Wilson's usually impeccable rhythm is off here. Many lines seem to ramble, with too many syllables strung together, while others seem too sparse. The poems are probably best read aloud, but much of the humor depends on the visual, as in the poem about the "love-a-bull" dog and the one asking "Will ewe please be mine?" I guess that makes it just right for children who prefer reading aloud to themselves; I'm not sure it would be such a great choice for reading to a child, or especially to several children at once.

Bear Hugs is still a pretty cute collection, especially for lovers of animals and puns. It just doesn't quite live up to my expectations, formed after reading several Wilson books that truly can be termed outstanding.

Summer Fun's Around the Bend When Bear Makes a Brand-New Friend

I first came upon Karma Wilson and Jane Chapman's Bear books a couple years ago when I saw a selection of them being sold for five dollars a piece as part of a pre-Christmas Kohl's Cares for Kids promotion. I've enjoyed the wintry Bear Snores On and Bear Stays Up for Christmas and the springish Bear Wants More, and my most recent trip to the library yielded last year's Bear's New Friend, which brings the beloved Bear and his ensemble of woodland companions together again for a sun-soaked summery story with just a hint of mystery.

The tale begins, as usual, in Bear's den. On this occasion, Bear is wide awake, and with the verdant flower-flecked grass just inches away, it's little wonder he feels the urge to emerge from his home for some outdoor activity. He's got plenty of friends in the forest, so he's sure he won't be short on playmates, but his curiosity is aroused when he hears a noise nearby. "And the bear asks, 'Who?'" This is the refrain that is repeated throughout the book, each time Bear sees or hears evidence of an unfamiliar, reclusive creature. The mystery deepens as his friends join him one by one, and it persists until nearly the end of the book, when the stranger reveals himself.

Chapman's acrylic illustrations are as adorable as ever. Shaggy Bear, dainty Mouse, wise Badger, timid Mole... the furry friends are all smiles, except when they're puzzling over the strange circumstances. The book is very heavy on the green tones, with grass and leaves everywhere in a variety of shades. We also see a lot of blue: the cloudless sky, several butterflies, the swimming hole. The liberal use of these colors gives the book a rich, vibrant feel.

Wilson's rhymes, meanwhile, usually four lines to a page, are marked by simple words and irresistible cadence: "Bear calls, 'Is that Mouse / who hides in the tree?' / But Mouse scurries up / and squeaks, 'It's not me!'" As the interrogative refrain repeats throughout the book, the typeface on this sentence becomes larger and larger, reflecting Bear's growing curiosity and his frustration that his friendly overtures are evidently being rejected.

Bear's New Friend is a fine addition to the collection of Wilson / Chapman collaborations. Artful and endearing, it allows children to visit once more with these woodland friends while encouraging them not to overlook potential playmates just because they might be a little shy.

A Sleeping Bear and Woodland Intruders... Hmm... Sounds Familiar...

When I happened upon Don't Wake Up the Bear, written by Marjorie Dennis Murray and illustrated by Patricia Wittmann, I almost mistook it for one of the Karma Wilson / Jane Chapman collaborations about a big, furry, narcoleptic bear and his friends of many species. Reading through the book, the comparison persisted, especially since three of the animals that appear here - the mouse, the hare and the badger - also play a part in that series.

I also was reminded of Room For a Little One, a tender Christmas tale about an ox that shares his stable with several different chilly visitors before welcoming the Holy Family. Not that this book has anything to do with Christmas, but it does feature a series of very cold travelers taking refuge in the fur of a much larger beast. In this case, however, the benefactor is unaware of his generosity.

It's a snowy winter day, and a big, shaggy bear is all snuggled up and fast asleep in his cave. Along comes a hare, who declares, "My ears are so... cold. I wish I could snuggle up with that big, soft, warm bear." And because it's so cold and the bear is sleeping so soundly, the hare does just that. She is soon joined by other creatures, one at a time, each of which has the same thing to say, only about some other body part. The badger has a cold nose, the fox cold legs, the squirrel cold toes and the mouse a cold tail. As each newcomer is welcomed into the bear's den, he or she is warned, "Don't wake the bear." It's a good thing the bear is a heavy sleeper. But with all this company, what if he wakes up?

Murray's repetitive prose has a comforting simplicity about it, while Wittmann's watercolor illustrations are charming, fairly realistic with anthropomorphic expressions. I can't help but wonder if this book was influenced by Chapman and Wilson's Bear Snores On. The premise is practically identical, as are half the interlopers. The pay-off is slightly different, but ultimately the stories are so similar in terms of illustrations and basic plot that I can't help but be suspicious.

Don't Wake Up the Bear! is a cute story that I probably would have enjoyed even more had I not read Bear Snores On first.

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!"