Grin and Bear It

May 23, 2011
The title of Landry's (Space Boy) spry chapter book could easily be a punch line from its protagonist's repertoire of pun-centric jokes. An aspiring stand-up comic, Bear dreams of making his friends laugh (" âYou're so funny, Bear,' Fawn would call. âGreat jokes!' Chuck would shout"). He's fine practicing his routine in front of a mirror, but his confidence crumbles whenever he speaks in front of a crowd: "His knees knocked. His paws paused. His fur froze." After much practice, Bear decides he's ready to perform onstage and invites his friends to the showâat which he bungles all his jokes. Mortified, he runs off to the local watering hole, but a hummingbird, also a would-be comedian, finds his discarded sheet of jokes and hatches a plan that will benefit them both. A deft balance of punchy, dialogue-driven text and expressive, appealingly naïf pencil-and-watercolor pictures make this well suited to newly independent readers. With humor and subtlety, Landry's words and art impart a smart message about partnership, ingenuity, and pursuing one's goals.
Ages 5â8.

July 1, 2011

Gr 1-3-All that Bear wants is to make his friends laugh. He decides that he will do a stand-up routine on the local stage. He practices every morning in front of the mirror and finally gains the confidence to book a performance. The only problem is that Bear has stage fright. He ends up feeling humiliated and runs away, only to encounter a little hummingbird that can make his dream come true. The story is divided into seven chapters and has a lot of words on each page. Even fans of Jennifer Jacobson's "Andy Shane" books (Candlewick) or Erica Silverman's "Cowgirl Kate and Cocoa" (Harcourt) may struggle with the text. The concept of having stage fright is something that a lot of children will be able to relate to, but few will be able to solve their problems the way Bear does. The jokes are groaners, similar to the kind you'd find on Popsicle sticks or taffy wrappers, and it's hard to imagine anyone finding them amusing or clever. The illustrations, done in watercolors, are vibrant but not outstanding. Few children will pick this one up for repeated readings.-Lora Van Marel, Orland Park Public Library, IL

Copyright 2011 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.