Review by Booklist Review
PreS-Gr. 1. When Sosha finds a bedraggled stuffed bear at a yard sale, her father dissuades her from buying it. Later at the park, all she can think about is Bear. They rush back, rescue him, and take him home. There, Sosha and her mother mend him, give him a bath, and outfit him in new clothes. Sosha's satisfaction in caring for Bear echoes the good-natured sensitivity her parents show for her concerns. Large white pages form the backdrop for the bold black outlines and painterly application of color that give Wickstrom's illustrations their distinctive look. The figures are easy to discern, even for the youngest eyes, and the setting of Sosha's world has elements that will look familiar to many preschoolers. Well suited to reading aloud, this endearing story is simply told from the child's point of view and illustrated with affection and panache. --Carolyn Phelan Copyright 2004 Booklist
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
In three mini-chapters, Wickstrom (illus. of Deborah Hautzig's Little Witch series) constructs a sweet and touching tale about a yard sale toy that becomes a girl's prize possession. The first segment finds Daddy gently suggesting that the torn and pitiful-looking Bear doesn't have much to offer. But Sosha feels awash in empathy: "Do you think anyone will ever want him?/ Daddy, maybe that shaggy old bear feels lonely." Resistance seems futile in the face of such heartfelt concern, and in short order Sosha promises, "Now you will live with me forever, shaggy old Bear." But even Sosha must admit that Bear needs triage, and in the section "Bear Is Sick," she asks the Doctor (aka Mom) to stitch him up, and then speeds his recovery with tea and a puppet show. The moniker "Mister Bear" is earned in the final chapter, when Sosha finds a doll-size fez and commissions Mom to stitch up a natty vest for Bear, prompting the girl to exclaim, "You look like a gentleman!" Wickham wastes not a word in the minimalist, largely monologue text (Daddy and Mom utter only a few lines), and she distills the thickly outlined illustrations-mostly vignettes-down to their essential elements. Keeping her storytelling tightly focused, Wickstrom makes every picture and line resonate with Sosha's forthright love and with the pride all children take in their own redemptive powers. Ages 3-6. (Jan.) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
(c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
Review by School Library Journal Review
PreS-Gr 1-Sosha finds a forlorn bear in disrepair at a yard sale and decides she must have him. Once sewn up by a doctor (Mom), washed (along with Sosha in the tub), and provided with a new blue vest, he looks good enough to go from being called "Bear" to "Mr. Bear." As the little girl cares for the stuffed animal, her actions reveal her growing fondness for him and perfectly echo a child's concern for a toy that seems almost real. The childlike illustrations feature thick bold lines and bright colors. The clean white backgrounds keep the action front and center. Divided into three short chapters and told in simple declarative sentences, this quiet story is perfect for beginning readers or one-on-one sharing, and will appeal to youngsters who understand the importance of a well-loved toy.-Marge Loch-Wouters, Menasha's Public Library, WI (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Horn Book Review
This is a simply told story of how a stuffed bear, found at a yard sale, becomes the most beloved treasure of young Sosha. Mister Bear is doctored and bathed by the adoring Sosha, and with a little help from Mom, he is clothed. The large format allows for plenty of white space to set off Sosha's gentle and caring play. (c) Copyright 2010. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted. All rights reserved.
(c) Copyright The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Kirkus Book Review
Wickstrom draws inspiration from her own family for a Corduroy-like episode featuring a child and a bear with a boo-boo. Rummaging through a yard-sale box, young Sosha finds a small fuzzy bear with a tear in its belly. She leaves it behind at first, but eventually comes back to claim it ("Daddy, maybe that shaggy old bear feels lonely"), takes it home, has it stitched up by a "doctor" (Mommy), then makes a set of clothes for it. Arranged into three discrete mini-episodes, this girl-meets-bear tale is told in simple cartoons over brief snatches of monologue, with a charm that perfectly captures that special relationship and should please all young listeners deeply attached to their plush companions. (Picture book. 3-6) Copyright ©Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
