“NO BEARS,” by Meg McKinlay and Leila Rudge, Candlewick Press, Hardcover, March 27, 2012, $15.99 (ages 3 and up)
Ella has written a book. And in case you aren’t sure it’s a book, you can tell it is by the phrases “once upon a time” and “happily ever after.” The most important thing you need to know about her story — there are no bears in it!
You see, Ella is tired of bears. And she’s sure you don’t need them for a book. There are other things that are much more important to a story. Things like fairies and princesses, monsters and giants.
She thinks her book turned out pretty well. In fact, she’s pretty sure it is the “prettiest, most exciting, scariest, and funniest book ever.” You know why? That’s right. No bears.
“No Bears” is a whimsical tale within a tale that works perfectly. Even while Ella is telling her tale, a sweet little bear is also making an appearance. And Ella’s tale itself is exactly the sort of story children make up every day.
There’s a great deal of sophisticated humor throughout the text and illustrations that will appeal to children and charm their parents. It’s great fun to see the story play out. And make sure to watch for some familiar fairy tale characters as they round out the party in this visual feast!
