Bear's Scare (Bear and Spider)

Bear, a plodding, conscientious creature, takes pleasure in the certainty that his house is tidy, and lavishes attention on his stuffed toy Ursa: "They were always together." But then (horrors!) he discovers spiderwebs in his house, and he sets to work trying to find the spider and get rid of it. "I am certainly sure the spider is nothing like us," he sniffs. Grant (Through with the Zoo) quickly delivers the message that Bear's the one with the problem as he depicts the friendly-looking arachnid knitting an afghan and painting on a small easel; it's clear that, despite the webs, she's a fine housemate. However, Bear's search is so hurried and careless that he rips Ursa's arm loose. He can't mend it, but someone else--someone with eight legs and lots of creativity--can. Working in a serene palette of pink and lavender, Grant gets comic mileage from Bear's wide-eyed, stricken-looking expression; a view of the bear's big rump as he searches under the bed will make readers smile. Insisting that everyone look and act just as we do, this story suggests, blinds us to some pretty wonderful possibilities. Ages 3-6. Agent: Steven Chudney, Chudney Agency. (June)

PreS-Gr 1--Bear keeps his house neat and tidy and takes good care of his stuffed animal friend, Ursa. One day as Bear cleans, he finds a book on the floor and underneath--horrors!--a spider web. As Bear searches the house, finding even more spider webs, he begins to think of all the damage the spider may be doing and determines to flush it out. Unfortunately, all the searching results in a bigger mess and a terrible accident as he unintentionally tears off Ursa's arm. Bear runs for the first-aid kit and returns to find Ursa's arm reattached by...a spider web! Bear decides he can accept his new spider friend and does not mind the webs. Charcoal-and-crayon drawings are uncluttered, with a limited palette of earth tones. Illustrations of an industrious spider in a button beret, who is painting, knitting, and reading, do not match Bear's assumptions about the creature. While Bear's easy acceptance of the messy spider webs may be a stretch, this tale about friendship and overcoming prejudices is not. VERDICT This read-aloud choice will be enjoyed at storytime and as a subtle introduction to accepting others.--Ramarie Beaver, Plano Public Library System, TX