A Visitor for Bear

A Visitor for Bear

by Bonny Becker

Illustrations by Kady MacDonald Denton

Read Together Ages: 3-6

Author Bonny Becker's statement on the book flap aroused my curiosity: "I hesitate to admit how much Bear is in me, but I'm grateful for every lovely mouse in my life".

As I leafed through the pages, I was attracted to the delicately refined watercolor illustrations by one of Canada's foremost illustrators, Ms. Denton, wherein subtle body language and facial expressions convey the emotions and story just as much as the crisp and precise text.

No one ever came to Bear's house.
It has always been that way,
and Bear was quite sure he didn't like visitors.
He even had a sign.

Reclusive Bear doesn't like to encourage visitors. He has a sign on his door that says, "NO Visitors Allowed" to keep gregarious company away. He seems content with his solitary life, conducting his daily activities with measured precision that comes more out of habit than a desire to be exact.

It is almost comical to see this hulking Bear prepare for breakfast in a rather dainty way, with his little apron out and ready. That's when the story starts to unfold: Bear hears a tap tap tapping on the door, and not expecting his sign to be disregarded, Bear opens the door with a mixture of caution and apprehension to find a mouse "small and gray and bright-eyed" without.

Bear categorically states "Go Away" pointing to his sign on the door. The mouse seems to understand and leave quietly.

Bear then sets out one spoon and one cup for himself, almost ritualistically. When he opens the cupboard to get one bowl...
there was the mouse! Small and gray and bright-eyed.



I told you to leave!, Bear cries.
Perhaps we could have a spot of tea, ventures the mouse.

Bear shows him to the door and shuts it firmly.

However, Bear's ennui progressively escalates as he finds the persistent mouse popping up at all odd places in his house when he has clearly shooed him away, even gone so far as to lock the door, board the windows, stopper the chimney and plug up the drain.

The clever use of varying font sizes of the text for emphasis makes it almost impossible to read it aloud in a quiet monotone. Also, the author has given distinct voices for Bear and the mouse which makes it fun to read aloud. The mouse speaks in a polite and clipped tone, "Terribly sorry... Now you see me; now you don't. I am gone." Curmudgeonly Bear sounds gruff saying, "Away with you! Vamoose!" in a finicky yet comical way.

The illustration accompanying Bear roaring, "BEGONE!" is superb, with the mouse huddling in the background in the fridge where Bear least expects him while Bear is frozen in action mid-air theatrically.

Completely confounded, at the height of his frustration, Bear declares,
I give up. You win. I am undone.

When the mouse suggests having a cup of tea, perhaps a bit of cheese, and maybe a nice warm fire, Bear relents reluctantly. But then you must go, he says. You have my word, assures the mouse.

Bear sets out tea and cheese and a nice warm fire for two sets of toes. During the course of tea, enjoyed in relative silence, Bear clears his throat as if to speak. The mouse looks most attentive, surprising Bear, as no one had ever been attentive to him before. Slowly they warm up to each other. The mouse proves to be pleasant company and they end up laughing over Bear's joke.

When the mouse sets down his teacup, Bear quickly tries to refill it as a polite host. So sorry. Most Kind, but I must be on my way, says the mouse getting up to go.

What happens next is the beginnings of a beautiful friendship that is best left to the author and illustrator to share with you.

This heart-warming tale is a reminder to kids and adults alike that some days, we just want to be alone like Bear and we do all we can to discourage company. But, at times, when we follow the lead of the persistent mouse and reach out, undeterred, we might just be surprised by the rewards.

Listen to NPR Audio Clip about A Visitor for Bear.

The True or False Book About Dogs

The True-or-False Book of Dogs
by Patricia Lauber

Illustrations by Rosalyn Schanzer

Ages:6-8

This wonderful book written by Patricia Lauber illustrated by Rosalyn Schanzer is as the title suggests, all about dogs. The format is what makes it so interesting. The facts are presented in response to the question- true or false. Kids get to learn about the variety in the canine species and their distinguishing characteristics. The language is simple enough for 6-8 year olds to read independently or with just a little help. There are facts from history of man's relationship with their best friend and how that has evolved over time. Among other things, I learned about the turnspit.

My daughter, J has read this book a few times over and I asked her what makes this book so special to her. She liked learning why the dog has always had an important place in human lives and the ways in which that has changed over time. She found out about how they have senses that humans do not have. She did not like the idea of the turnspit at all because it was not fair on the dogs to have to excercise so much and not be rewarded for their effort. Then she found out about many kinds of dogs that she had never known about.

J says this is a book for anyone who wants to learn about animals though dog-lovers would feel sad reading about the turnspit. Finally if a kid is looking for a pet dog this book can help them pick out the right dog. After they have read this book they would know what choices they have and which kind of dog has the nature they would love best.

Cover Image for the book from Barnes and Noble online.

Fancy Nancy: Bonjour Butterfly

Fancy Nancy: Bonjour Butterfly
by Jane O'Connor
Illustrations by Robin Preiss Glasser
Ages:4-8

A few years ago, I would have walked past this book with a condescending smirk perhaps, thinking not another Strawberry Shortcake, please, telling myself that glorifying ritzy flashy stuff is not for my little girl, she deserves what my adult mind classifies as worthy.

But, there's flashy, and then there's classy. I think Fancy Nancy is classy in her own way.

After Stellaluna and Beatrice's Goat, I was looking for something light and chirpy. A quick glance at the library revealed delightful illustrations with just a couple of sentences on each page that are easy to read and engaging, so, I brought it home to see how Ana, my 3-year-old (soon-to-be-4) would respond to it.

The opening page depicts Nancy's mom and sister, and another kid (probably Bree's little brother) in the garden, in work clothes, digging and planting tomatoes and sweet peas, while Nancy looks gorgeous in her coordinated outfit and shoes, jumping up daintily with her friend Bree, trying to catch butterflies.

Don't you think butterflies are exquisite?
(Exquisite is even fancier than beautiful)

The illustrations by Robin Preiss Glasser are enchanting: they capture the emotions in every page and deliver it with a great sense of humor and drama. They pop out with exuberance and irresistible appeal, especially to a fancifully-inclined 3-year-old girl, and dare I say, even to her jaded middle-aged mom.

Nancy is depicted not as a skinny Barbie-wannabe or a cloying Disney-esque heroine or a pretentious know-it-all or even a charmingly precocious brat, but as a fairly average and rounded little girl with a natural flair for finery. She is smart and curious, assertive and determined, yet polite and congenial. She seems prone to histrionics but in a charming and agreeable way, if that's ever possible.

That is not all. This book has a valuable message that is not easy to convey to the little ones: You can't get everything you want; disappointments happen; we deal with it, make the best of it and move on.

Nancy wants to go to her friend Bree's birthday party. She helps Bree design the invitations.

I show her how to turn the Bs into Butterflies on the invitations. You are so lucky your name begins with a B, I tell her.

She is excited about going as an Azure butterfly with bright blue wings and - what's the fancy word for shiny? - Oh, yes! Iridescent, she says.

But, her mom decides she cannot go because they are already committed to going to Nancy's grandparents' fiftieth wedding anniversary party which happens to be on the same day as Bree's birthday party.

Mom says, "Bree's birthday is special. But being married for fifty years - that's exceptional. That's extraordinary!"

Clearly, Nancy is furious about this.

If my mother thinks using fancy words will make me feel better, she's wrong!

For the next two days, I scowl, I sulk and I storm around the house.
Mad is way too plain for how I feel.

The illustrations showing Nancy's disappointment and distemper are quite amusing and clever, simply spectacular.

However, she perks up at seeing her grandparents and has a blast at the party eventually.

At the party, I have so much fun, I forget to be furious.
...It really is an extraordinary night.

Before heading back home from her grandparents' place, Nancy's parents take her to the Butterfly Garden at the Zoo where she enjoys herself immensely. I can't wait to tell Bree about it, she says, getting over the disappointment at missing Bree's birthday party with the easy buoyancy that most little kids are blessed with.

Author Jane O'Connor exhibits a keen understanding of the workings of the little minds and respects them enough to liberally pepper the book with words that seem out-of-league at first glance, but are defined by Fancy Nancy herself and used in context perfectly. Birth to about six years being the prime time for kids to gain mastery over languages and communication skills, the author has cleverly kindled literary curiosity in the little minds through the adorable character that they can easily relate to and even emulate.

This is clearly not a book for all kids. I am sure little boys won't care for it much; and, had I seen this book as a kid, I am not sure I would've liked it much either as I wasn't terribly fancy myself - am not even now. But, Ana, my soon-to-be-4 year old identifies with Nancy, and so far, has made me read the book at least twice every night for the last week, stopping me from turning the pages too fast and pointing out all the minute details that Robin Preiss Glasser has worked into each page.

The market is probably overcrowded with adorable little girl characters who love all things frou-frou and conduct themselves regally. But what sets Nancy apart is her plain-Jane family who don't just tolerate but sincerely support Nancy in her fanciness and let her be who she wants to be. No judgments, no jibes.

Now, I am not subscribing to all the franchised merchandise that inevitably follow such a popular character, but, certainly a few of the original Fancy Nancy books by Jane O'Connor we've read so far seem quite entertaining and educational.

I was quite fascinated by the debut book Fancy Nancy, where Nancy is introduced to us in a rather brilliant way. First page shows a pretty colorless room with a few books and toys in it with Nancy stating, 'This is my room before I made it fancy.' And the next page, predictably, shows the room in full splendor with Nancy declaring, 'I love being fancy.'
And, thanks to Fancy Nancy: Bonjour Butterfly, Ana's vocabulary now includes "exquisite", "gorgeous", "elegant", "merci", "repondez s'il vous plait" and of course, "bonjour".


All in all a brilliant combination of lavish art and rich text, sure to entertain and cultivate the young mind.