Magician's Muse

October 1, 2010
PreS-Gr 1—-ittle Bear has too many items on his Christmas list and does not want to cull it down. When all the gifts under the tree go to his cousins, he suffers the indignity of watching the coveted skateboard, hobbyhorse, and pogo stick belong to someone else. Unsatisfied with the envelope he has gotten, Little Bear leaves it unopened and retreats under the kitchen table, coming out when his cousins need help figuring out how to play with their toys. The shared experiences are so much fun that Little Bear forgets about his own present, making his reward at the end all the sweeter. While the characters are not very expressive, the subtle touches make Little Bear's spoiled behavior easier to swallow. The illustrations also help the lesson gently unfold through the story, rather than overtly explaining the virtues of patience and sharing, or that the holiday is about more than just presents.—"Joanna K. Fabicon, Los Angeles Public Library"

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