A Bear Is a Bear (except when he's not)

by Karl Newson, Anuska Allepuz (Illustrator)

Overview

When Bear wakes up early from his hibernation, he can’t remember what he is! Is he a bird? Or a moose? Maybe a fox? Just when it seems like Bear won’t be able to figure it out, he finds his cave and decides another nap might help. Will Bear be able to remember what he is when he wakes up again in the spring?

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781536212020
Publisher:	Candlewick Press
Publication date:	08/11/2020
Pages:	32
Sales rank:	261,366
Product dimensions:	10.00(w) x 11.60(h) x 0.50(d)
Age Range:	2 - 5 Years

About the Author

Karl Newson writes for the children’s book blog The Mudwaffler and contributes to The Creative Attic, an online publication of illustrated poetry. He is the author of For All the Stars Across the Sky and The Same But Different, Too. He lives in England.

Anuska Allepuz grew up in Spain, where she studied fine arts at the University of Salamanca. She has enjoyed drawing and writing stories for as long as she can remember, and her work is driven by a love of storytelling. She is the author-illustrator of Little Green Donkey. She likes exploring texture and using mixed media, handmade stamps, and stencilled shapes. She lives in Cambridge, England.

Editorial Reviews

The gorgeous, softly textured illustrations effectively enhance the story’s witty twists and turns. Particularly charming is the bear’s expressive face, which effectively conveys his confusion, frustration, sadness, and joy...A sweet, fun romp through a winter forest with a goofy protagonist kids will love.
—Kirkus Reviews

From the Publisher

2020-04-12
When a bear wakes up early from hibernation, he can’t seem to remember what kind of animal he is.

In his search for his forgotten identity, the bear wanders the snowy forest, observing the creatures all around him. He attempts to emulate each animal he sees, but all to no avail. When he tries to be a bird, he realizes he cannot fly. When he tries to be a moose, he realizes he can’t stand the taste of grass. When he tries to be a fox, he fails to prance. And when he tries to be a squirrel, he doesn’t like having to climb so high. Finally, the narrator tells the bear that he’s woken up from hibernation in December, instead of in the spring, and reassures him that when he does wake up, he’ll know exactly who he is. The bear obediently goes back into his cave and settles into a cozy slumber. Happily, the rest does wonders for the bear’s memory, and the spring brings a happy ending, accompanied by a suitably colorful and cheerful illustration. The book’s rhyming text is charming, funny, and delightful to read aloud. Unfortunately, the shift from third to second person is jarring and, on the first read through, confusing in its abruptness. The gorgeous, softly textured illustrations effectively enhance the story’s witty twists and turns. Particularly charming is the bear’s expressive face, which effectively conveys his confusion, frustration, sadness, and joy.

A sweet, fun romp through a winter forest with a goofy protagonist kids will love. (Picture book. 2-6)

Kirkus Reviews