Bear with Me

A bear-y good choice for storytime.

The ink and watercolor illustrations, mostly vignettes that both progress the action and detail the child-bear friendship, excel at capturing emotion, personality, and occasionally humor.

In this mostly wordless tale, delicately drafted ink-and-watercolor vignettes alternate with full spreads as married team Kerascoët (I Walk with Vanessa) portray the tight bond between a child and a stuffed bear given to them as an infant. In early pages, the toddler, shown with pale skin and red hair, keeps the bear company in an armchair, dances with it, and drags it lovingly through the garden, its bright blue necktie becoming the worse for wear. Now the bear needs a trip through the washing machine--the child's tearful yowl and the hand-lettered words "Bear with me!" convey the pain of separation. Time passes. On the first day of school, the child tries stuffing the bear into their schoolbag and shirt, but a parent's waggling finger delivers the message: the bear stays home. Kerascoët shows the protagonist finding coping strategies at school : discovering a bear costume in the racially diverse classroom's dress-up box, and painting a portrait of the beloved stuffy before experiencing a joyous reunion. Young readers may need some coaching to appreciate the book's titular pun, but the creators clearly trace a developmental journey through a beloved relationship, and their visual storytelling creates openings for conversations about separation and growth. Ages 3-7. (June)

Copyright 2023 Publishers Weekly, LLC Used with permission.

PreS-Gr 1--The duo known as Kerascoët once again demonstrates their skill at visual storytelling. This time, they tackle the first day of school--and the difficulty of having to leave a favorite stuffed friend at home. The opening spreads depict a baby growing into a toddler, who grows very attached to a certain teddy bear. When the bear must be washed, a tantrum results; when the first day of school arrives, the child tries (unsuccessfully) to bring the bear along, first in their backpack and then under their shirt. Once at school, the child is at first shy and uncertain, but before long finds a friend and a number of creative ways to keep their beloved bear present after all. At the end of the school day, child and bear are lovingly reunited. The book is largely wordless, with the title repeated as an occasional refrain and changing in tone throughout. The hand-lettered text communicates as much as the utterly charming ink and watercolor illustrations. The art is warm and joyful and filled with details that young readers will delight in noticing and sharing. The protagonist and their family present as white; the child's classmates are illustrated in a variety of skin tones. VERDICT This sweet story is a lovely choice for all collections serving young readers and their families. Recommended.--Lauren Strohecker

Copyright 2023 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.