Bear and Bird: The Adventure and Other Stories

PreS-Gr 2–A gentle air of contentment weaves through this early reader, the latest in the series about best friends Bear and Bird. There is not a central story here, but rather four simple, brief chapters about experiences like doing nothing together. “I’m good at nothing. Everyone says so. It’s one of the things I’m best at,” assures Bear. The final chapter, in which Bear, Bird, and their new pal Mole have an adventure, is the liveliest and a great depiction of how a little imagination can turn a disastrous outing into a thrilling romp. But from the muted palette to the kind tone that the two use when speaking to each other, the book is awash with a sense of peace. Even when the friends have a disagreement—in this case, feelings are hurt when the two encounter Mole, who is perceived as a rival for the other’s affection—they are solicitous and fair. The book isn’t sickly-sweet, though, and there’s plenty of mild humor, much of it expressed through Jarvis’s illustrations. Most of the pages feature artwork, with full spreads interspersed among half-page sketches in natural hues of blues and browns. With its pastoral ambiance and deep affection between friends, this addition to the “Bear and Bird” series feels like a 21st-century successor to “Frog and Toad.”