Time to Roar

by Olivia A. Cole, Jessica Gibson (Illustrator)

Overview

This powerful picture book shows the importance of raising your own strong voice to defend what you love.

Sasha the bear loves the meadow in her forest more than anything. But when great yellow beasts threaten to cut and burn the forest, Sasha and the other animals must find a way to stop them.

"Don't go roaring," squirrel tells Sasha. The bird tries singing sweetly. The rabbit tries thumping to distract them. The deer tries running to lead them away. But none of these things stop the machines. Must they all run and hide? Sasha the bear knows they need something louder, something bigger, something more powerful. And Sasha knows her voice—her roar—is the most powerful tool she has.

Olivia A. Cole's deceptively simple text and Jessica Gibson's vibrant art celebrate the power of learning to raise your own strong voice to defend what you love. Because sometimes you must be a bear. Sometimes you must roar.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781547603701
Publisher:	Bloomsbury USA
Publication date:	09/01/2020
Pages:	32
Sales rank:	1,151,695
Product dimensions:	9.70(w) x 10.90(h) x 0.50(d)
Age Range:	3 - 6 Years

About the Author

Olivia A. Cole is a writer and mother from Louisville, Kentucky, who is always roaring about the power and magic of girls. She's been telling stories since she was a cub, and believes that each of us has a voice that can be used to save the world. She writes books for young adults and grown-ups too! This is her first picture book.
www.oliviaacole.com
@RantingOwl

Jessica Gibson is an illustrator from Detroit, Michigan, who has loved drawing since she was a little girl. A love for animals, traveling, and reading has always inspired her and led to a career illustrating children's books. Jessica loves how children's books can transport us into a magical world, if only for a moment. She hopes this book inspires readers to not be afraid to use their own strong voices to advocate for something they believe in.
www.jessicamgibson.com
@jessiedrawz

Editorial Reviews

An environmental tale that is sweet, cheerful, and empowering.” —Kirkus Reviews

“A tale that is not just about protecting nature, but also about working with others so that every voice is heard.” —School Library Journal

From the Publisher

08/01/2020

K-Gr 4—Although the ending is a little vague, this story of speaking up at the right time has merit. Sasha the bear's favorite place in the world is the meadow in the forest. One day large yellow creatures (bulldozers or backhoes) come and start destroying the forest, but when Sasha goes to roar and stop them, the squirrel says that is not the way. Every forest animal tries to stop the machines, but only when Sasha finds her roar do the yellow creatures leave. Or, it's the end of the day and time for the workers to go home. Cole has created a beautiful tale of our world and the occasional need to act independently. The plot is not complex and the vocabulary used is simple, with the actions described being shown through detailed illustrations. VERDICT Cole and Gibson have woven a tale that is not just about protecting nature, but also about working with others so that every voice is heard. A solid tale.—Margaret Kennelly, Urbana-Champaign, IL

School Library Journal

2020-05-03
There’s a time to speak softly—and a time to speak out.

Sasha the bear is peaceable, and like any good bear, she enjoys a good nap. And what better place for a bear to slumber than a serene, grassy meadow in a vibrant forest? Unfortunately, when “great yellow beasts [tear] into the meadow,” Sasha and the other animals fear their home and tranquility might be destroyed. Can the animals save the day? Sasha offers to roar at them, but the animals decide to try other strategies. The bluebird sings to the beasts, which children will of course recognize as bulldozers and diggers; the rabbit tries to distract them by thumping the ground; the deer tries to lead them away from the forest. All is to no avail—the beasts are making too much noise to pay attention. But Sasha’s anger rises, and she approaches the beasts to roar, “fill[ing] the meadow with her bellow,” driving the beasts away. Cole delivers an environmental tale that is sweet, cheerful, and empowering—if simplistic—offering a meaningful message in just the right language for young listeners and learners. Gibson’s use of color and light to distinguish the quiet from the bold helps Cole’s story when it’s time for Sasha to deliver her big moment.

Should spark budding activists and little bears everywhere. (Picture book. 4-8)

Kirkus Reviews