Hibernate with Me

February 1, 2019

PreS-Gr 1-This gentle, sweet story is an ode to enduring, unconditional love through the years and the strength it offers when someone is feeling small, scared, or worried. Written by singer-songwriter Scheuer for his wife, who illustrated the story, the couple decided to turn the song into a book for children. Williams relies on the forest imagery of the lyrics("[w]ith a blanket made of meadow-moss, I'll wrap you in a hug") and creates an appealing mother bear and her cub who experience the seasons together in a snug tree home. The refrain, ."..darling you can hibernate with me," appears in handwritten letters, rather than the standard font of the text, which is a nice touch and serves to emphasize the warm bond between the two characters. The score appears at the end of the book, but families will need to go to a website to listen to the song. VERDICT A story of steady and all-encompassing love that makes a nice bedtime read (or song) to share with a young child.-Sally James, South Hillsborough Elementary School, CA

Copyright 2019 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.