Hello, bears! Every so often we like to share some of our Book Bears choices to give everyone a little taste of what our service has to offer. Here are two fun and very different selections we made for ages 2-5 and ages 5-8. We hope our subscribers loved the books. Happy reading! #GiveaBearaBook #BookBearsRead

BIG RUG BUGS by Kurt Cyrus

From the publisher: “Clear that thicket, dozer cricket./Ants that sift, sort and lift./Big bug rig, watch it dig.” Lifting, sorting, digging, and hauling are dirty jobs, but someone’s got to do them. So when a construction worker throws away a half-eaten sandwich, a crew of bugs gets to work clearing the area of debris. With a simple text and up-close illustrations, readers will see how bugs and trucks have much in common―that an ant is just like a forklift or a cricket can act as a bulldozer. Kids will be fascinated by Kurt Cyrus’s innovative and bold artwork showing each bug’s unique way of getting the job done!

Our take: This selection is light on story and more about the drama of the images. We love the juxtaposition of big machines and tiny bugs, and that it’s the bugs who get their close-up here! The rhyming text helps little bears discover the amazing world of insects and the jobs they do (the machines also work diligently in the background, too), and the text is simple enough that kids could learn it on repeat readings. We love the dramatic, scaled-up look at these busy little workers. Plus, teaching kids about insects and all the things they do makes them less scary, too.

Copyright © by Kurt Cyrus

HAUNTED HOUSE, HAUNTED MOUSE by Judy Cox, illustrated by Jeff Ebbeler

From the publisher: Mouse’s appetite leads him on a Halloween adventure when he hitches a ride in a trick-or-treat bag of candy and finds himself alone in a haunted house.

Our take: It’s been our experience that little bears love Halloween books, and this is a fun one! Mouse makes his way into a trick-or-treater’s bag of candy. It’s yummy, but Mouse gets dizzy and bails. Outside, as it starts to rain, Mouse finds shelter…but is it a haunted house? We love that Mouse faces his fears and reveals what’s behind the scary things he thinks he sees and hears. (He’s a goofball, too!) This is perfect for reading on a rainy night or around Halloween and it has plenty of text to set the tone and challenge young readers. Note: this one could be a little too scary for younger siblings so you may want to read through it first if you plan to share with kids younger than 5.

Text copyright © by Judy Cox, Art copyright © by Jeff Ebbeler