Quote of the Day: "We are too civil to books. For a few golden sentences we will turn over and actually read a volume of four or five hundred pages. "
~ Ralph Waldo Emerson
Title: The Other Bears
Author/Illustrator: Michael Thompson
Ages: 5-7
Let me start by saying this book is beautifully illustrated. The details and images are amazing, portraying different types of bears celebrating their native homeland culture. The story is about acceptance and tolerance and we all need a refresher course in that area don't we? Mother and Father Koala have negative opinions concerning the "other" bears that arrive on the beach during a special family outing. They verbally express their opinions as each group arrives with their family to enjoy a day at the beach. The Pandas make a grand entrance in their rickshaw with their Chinese cuisine at hand, ready for their picnic time. The adult koalas decide they dislike their ears and shoes. Enter the polar bears. The koalas judge again.....don't like their claws or coats. The black bears are next, followed by the brown bears and then the sun bears....and you guessed it....they too have many flaws which the koalas are very quick to point out. Father and Mother koala get sucked into their grumpy mood and seem to not like anything anymore. Why had they even bothered to come to the beach? They happen to look up and to their utter surprise what did they see that totally changed that slump into one of utter glee? Not telling you....but it did transpire. A fabulous book, a great message and the illustrations are a magical story alone without the text.
Just for fun....
About the author/illustrator:
Michael Thompson
Michael has drawn pictures for as long as he can remember. His Grade 2 teacher showed him how to make a picture book and he has been thinking about them (and collecting them) on and off ever since. His parents still have his first book, How the Rabbit got its Long Ears, hidden away somewhere (where it should stay!).
Michael has always liked bears (doesn’t everyone?) and still has his first teddy bear, which looks like the ones in this book, but brown. Michael was born and raised in Perth, Western Australia where he now lives with his wife and new baby girl.
Books available from Fremantle Press
- The Other Bears PB 2013
Book review rating: 8 (Fantastic!)
Read on and read always! Great day to you!
*Book compliments of NetGalley to which I thank. Ideas and thoughts my own.
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