BOOKS

Bears Make the Best Reading Buddies

by Carmen OLIVER
illus. by Jean Claude. 32p. Capstone. Mar. 2016. Tr $14.95. ISBN 9781623706548.
COPY ISBN
PreS-Gr 1—Mrs. Fitz-Pea (who wears blue cat's-eye glasses) needs to be convinced that bears make suitable reading buddies. Her student Adelaide convinces her that Bear is safe to have in the classroom by showing her how he makes reading fun (with cozy reading forts and loud roars of encouragement for pronouncing a hard word) and instructive (telling her to look at the pictures for clues and holding the book so they both can see it). "And if you get frustrated, they wrap you up in warm bear hugs." The pattern-filled illustrations show the two buddies getting lost in their stories and demonstrates how they search for their next good read. They add a great deal to the book's appeal.
VERDICT Full of useful yet subtle hints about how to make reading fun for both young and older reading buddies, this book will find a ready audience at storytime and is also wonderful for one-on-one sharing.
Reviewed by Tanya Boudreau, Cold Lake Public Library, AB, Canada
Adelaide's teacher is assigning reading partners, but Adelaide chooses a bear because "bears make the best reading buddies." She argues that "bears know how to sniff out a good book with their super-powered snouts," etc. It's a bit contrived, but the narrative and homey illustrations have their moments, as when presenting the downside of reading with a sharp-clawed bear ("Rrriiip!").
 , Jul 01, 2016

Be the first reader to comment.

Comment Policy:
  • Be respectful, and do not attack the author, people mentioned in the article, or other commenters. Take on the idea, not the messenger.
  • Don't use obscene, profane, or vulgar language.
  • Stay on point. Comments that stray from the topic at hand may be deleted.
  • Comments may be republished in print, online, or other forms of media.
  • If you see something objectionable, please let us know. Once a comment has been flagged, a staff member will investigate.

RELATED 

BLOGS

Read Rec Rachel: New YA Releases for November and December 2024
by Rachel Strolle
BLOGS

Surviving the Slow Burn of Middle Grade, a guest post by Shannon Messenger
by Amanda MacGregor
BLOGS

Mysteries and the Teenage Search for Identity, a guest post by Jan Gangsei
by Amanda MacGregor
BLOGS

Co-Writing a Story of Trans Joy Across a Barbed Wire Fence, a guest post by Teghan Hammond and Mel Hammond
by Amanda MacGregor
BLOGS

Falling in Love with History, a guest post by Tonya Bolden
by Amanda MacGregor
BLOGS

Why Anthologies? A guest post by Henry Herz
by Amanda MacGregor
More
ALREADY A SUBSCRIBER?

We are currently offering this content for free. Sign up now to activate your personal profile, where you can save articles for future viewing

ALREADY A SUBSCRIBER?