Brave Little Bear

A tender reminder that bravery comes from within.

PreS-K--The mama bear and two cubs, Arlo and Eva, have just awoken from their hibernation. It's now time to leave their winter cave behind and head towards Spring Valley. While Eva is always excited for adventure, Arlo is not so brave. He follows his mama and Eva, all the while wishing he could be like his sister. Just then, a winter storm comes gushing in, covering everything in a windy white snowfall, and Arlo knows that Eva is in trouble. Arlo runs to find her: He "hadn't had a chance to feel fear... He had just run without thinking." Together, the three make it to the valley and leave the mountains and snowstorm behind them. While Eva might be the bolder of the cubs, that doesn't mean Arlo is not as brave, because being brave when one is afraid "is the very bravest brave of all." Set in the familiar framework of the change from winter to spring, this story centers themes of endings, change, and new beginnings. VERDICT This sweet, coming-of-age picture book conceptualizes the different ways we can be brave, and is a good metaphorical guide for children facing new chapters in their lives.--Jennifer LaBurre

Arlo the cub loves the familiarity and snugness of the family den. "He liked how there was not quite enough room," writes Small (Wellington's Big Day Out), showing Arlo and his sister Eva enveloped in a wall-to-wall parental bear hug. Arlo is also wary of "new things" and, now that winter's over, he faces a big one: migrating to Spring Valley with his mother and sister. Each step of the journey reminds Arlo that Eva is braver--she's "first up that tree. First down that steep hill. And first in the water." Then a massive snowstorm blows in, depicted in a series of striking spreads that mingle splatters of white flakes with subtle variegations in the bears' fur. Arlo senses that Eva isn't with them, his tiny, alert face looking back as their mother trudges forward. Without hesitation, Arlo leaves his mom, finds Eva using the sounds of her cries, and guides her back. "Being brave when you feel afraid... is the very bravest brave of all," says the relieved mama bear--a touching summation of a crisply rendered argument that everyone is capable of summoning forth courage. Ages 4-8. (Oct.)