The Boy and the Bear

PreS-Gr 1–A young boy is looking for a friend because, as he has discovered, all the best games require two players. There is Bear, but the boy doesn’t consider him a potential playmate because, well, he is a bear and not a boy. It turns out Bear is also looking for a friend; he is simply shy. Bear sends the boy a paper boat with a message. The two exchange multiple boat messages and finally meet. At first, the boy is disappointed that the message writer is Bear, but the two try to play anyway. When the games the boy wanted to play don’t work for Bear, the two build a tree fort together and pass the autumn companionably. Winter comes and Bear disappears. Once again solitary, the boy passes the time drawing pictures of Bear. With the arrival of spring, Bear returns and the friends are reunited. The mixed media illustrations show a pale boy wearing a sweater and a bright, burnt orange ski hat. Bear is large and blue with a bag slung over his shoulder and a friendly demeanor.