Hello, bears! We’re excited to be sharing a few more of our recent Book Bears selections. We’ve had a lot of fun making these selections, and we hope our subscribers have enjoyed them. Happy reading, bears! #GiveaBearaBook #BookBearsRead

MOUSIE LOVE by Dori Chaconas, illustrated by Josée Masse

From the publisher: From the very moment Tully sees Frill, he’s in love–and he’s determined to marry her. Proposing marriage isn’t the problem, but Frill can’t ever quite give him an answer. Is Frill just playing coy? Or is the over-eager Tully not giving her a chance to reply? Like it’s classic cousin Froggy Went A-Courtin, this charming tale about courtship and marriage will have even the youngest listeners thinking about wedding bells!

Our take: This book is about a little mouse named Tully who can’t stop proposing marriage to another mouse, Frill. The problem is that Tully never waits for an answer from Frill, who “didn’t say no. She didn’t say yes. She didn’t say maybe.” Essentially, it’s a book about waiting (something we’d say all kids have a bit of trouble with!). There’s a sort of old-fashioned earnestness to the story that feels very cozy, and the repetition throughout works well for this age level. Plus, there’s just enough adventure and silliness to keep all kids engaged in the plot. We paired this with an activity on kindness as that’s what helps our Tully seal the deal. The book could also tie in nicely to Valentine’s Day.

Text copyright © by Dori Chaconas, Art copyright © by Josée Masse

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THE GETAWAY by Ed Vere

From the publisher: Fingers McGraw is the sneakiest cheese thief in town. He’s on the run with the law on his tail, and he needs you to help him make his getaway! Keep a look out for the big eyes, large feet and long nose of officer Elephant as you follow Fingers’ trail through downtown New York and remember, even the best look-out can fail and even the sneakiest of thieves get caught…or do they? A fast, funny tale that will have you hooked from page 1.

Our take: This is a wild one! It also features a mouse, but it couldn’t be more different from the 2-5 selection above. Fingers McGraw, as our mouse is called, is a bit of a gangster who’s trying to pull off the perfect heist. The graphic format is super engaging and there’s a great interactive element – Fingers asks readers to whistle when they see the elephant (who is after him). There are also some extra storylines tucked into the art, including birds tweeting throughout the book and a rat that’s always seen behind bars. This book can make a great exploration of storytelling, narration, and voice for older kids, and we love that there are newspaper clips included which help further the story. There’s a ton going on here, so the book is perfect for repeat readings.

Copyright © by Ed Vere