"With a bounce and a bound,
Papa Bear dashes through the
trees.
He searches every corner of the
forest, but he just can't find his
cub.
Papa Bear has run so far from the
forest that he is now surrounded
by the noise and smoke of the
big city."
Old bears and I have something in common! We love to sleep when winter moves in. While I do not totally hibernate, nothing feels better than sitting by the fire and reading when icy winds blow and roads are slick. Ah, bliss!
Papa Bear has totally settled in for his long winter's rest, but Little Bear has not yet readied himself for such drudgery. He needs to use up some of his pent-up energy on adventurous doings. It's a bee that gets it started. Little Bear hears a buzzing noise from outside the cave, and his innate curiosity sets him in pursuit of that bee. It doesn't take long for Papa to notice that LB is missing. So, his parallel search begins.
The audience is fully engaged from the beginning, keeping eyes on the bear and the bee from their cave, through the rural environs and straight to the bright lights of Paris. Every full page spread dances with details, inviting close observation and a temptation to call out to Papa the whereabouts of the errant baby. Just when it looks like all might be lost (well, Little Bear, for sure), Papa spies him again and continues the chase. Oh my, it's the Opera House, and quite proper at that. What happens next will have young listeners doing some 'roaring' of their own!
Turns out that Little Bear has magic up his sleeve!
There is so much to see in the accompanying artwork. Using rich detail to create drama on every page, the author invites us to be part of a lively caper with adventure and love of family at its heart.
You will enjoy the twists and the gentle, warm conclusion. It is a charmer and won't soon be forgotten!
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