Bike On, Bear!

March 15, 2015
Bear can do anything he puts his mind to-except ride a bike.Bear is a whiz at facts and figures. He can do a backward pike somersault on the balance beam. But every time he tries to ride his bike, even with training wheels, he falls or crashes. Bear just can't do it. The situation worsens when a park opens in town, and Bear can't join his friends on the new bike path, which arbitrarily and unkindly bans training wheels. (This is helpful to the plot, though.) Everyone is having fun without him. So Bear does what any desperate, lumpy little fellow like him should do-he goes to the library in search of answers. A book tells him how to ride a bike in four easy steps. The last step is the most important: don't think about it too much. But Bear can't stop thinking about it. He mulls it over and worries until everything becomes a disaster, even his triple back-paw-spring. Luckily, a sudden meteorological disaster (sharp readers will spot a hint in Koala's newspaper) helps Bear spring into action and overcome his fears-without stopping to think! Bear's supportive friends and family, along with Litten's warm-hued, cozy illustrations, drape the story in comfort, even during Bear's many tumbles and spills. This pivotal childhood milestone is often defined by fear, but this variant is for young brooders everywhere. (Picture book. 4-7)

June 1, 2015

K-Gr 2-"Bear is no ordinary cub" begins this writerly story replete with puns, a sound narrative structure, and funny moments that will make kids cheer the protagonist along. His flaw is stage center: he can't ride a bike. He aces school, especially mathematics, has a helpful nature, and is a budding gymnast, but for him, biking is "unbearable." He questions whether it is a lack of intelligence, or a lack of confidence. His mother sends him to the library because you can "learn anything there," and he finds a how-to book. When a young goat is getting carried away by a fierce costal wind, Bear finds the opportunity to put all his knowledge of science, math, and gymnastics into one tour-de-force to save the kid in danger. There is a small-town sensibility here, yet with a background of historic buildings and the connotation of a city, there is depth to the sense of place. The palette is exquisite, with pale oranges and aqua blues, with added retro touches of background textures such as graph paper. The cartoon-style illustrations are gentle in nature and detailed enough to interest readers. VERDICT Fans of Kate DiCamillo will enjoy this book that encourages students to become well-rounded, and demonstrates how athletic, social, and academic skills can be applied in unexpected ways.-Sara Lissa Paulson, The American Sign Language and English Lower School, New York City

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