How to Share with a Bear

Starred review from July 15, 2015
Thomas makes a cozy cave that attracts a small bear. Creative and clever, Thomas uses pillows, blankets, and seat cushions for his living room hideaway. But he needs a few more items to make it perfect. When he returns to the cave, he hears bumps and thumps and discovers a bear has taken up residence. He leaves a trail of blueberries to entice the bear to leave, and it works-temporarily. Thomas tries everything he can think of that might appeal to a bear to lure it away for good. A back scratcher, some bath toys, and some honey cereal all produce the same temporary results. When Thomas manages to get into the cave to read, the bear can't squeeze in and starts to cry. Kind Thomas takes pity, builds a larger cave, and shares it with the bear, who readers finally see is actually his adoring little brother. Pinder employs accessible, descriptive language to lead Thomas to his generous conclusion, without becoming preachy or cloying. Young readers may be surprised at the identity of the bear, but there are several visual hints and lots of delightful details to be found in Graegin's illustrations. Glowing shades of yellow, blue, and bear-brown on a soft, light sepia background surround satisfyingly legible text. At the conclusion, little ones are given simple instructions for building their own caves. Tender and charming. (Picture book. 2-6)

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August 1, 2015

PreS-Gr 1-Thomas builds an indoor fort to read in, but when he goes to gets his books, a bear moves in! Thomas does everything he can think of to lose the bear, luring it out with blueberries, honey cereal, and water play in the sink. The bear finds everything he puts out fascinating, but he always follows Thomas back to the fort. At first, the bear is glimpsed from behind or with his face in a bowl. It isn't until he is shut out of the fort and starts to cry that readers see the face of Thomas's little brother in a bear suit. Thomas really is a good big brother and decides to make a bigger fort so they can share books together. The artwork is heavy in yellows, browns, and blues. Thomas is a friendly, round-faced boy, and his brother looks like a large teddy bear. There is nothing scary here, just great problem-solving skills and sibling fun. VERDICT Preschool children will enjoy listening to the silly, sweet story. Older ones will be able to read it themselves-perhaps in a fort with a sibling.-Kelly Roth, Bartow County Public Library, Cartersville, GA

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