Review by Booklist Review
Father Bear takes on the role of nurturer in this day-in-the-life tale of his cub. He is never far from Hansie as the young bear sets out on various adventures on a windy autumn day. When the cub falls into a hole, it's Dad who helps him out, administers first aid, and offers comfort with a there, there. The typical toddler day continues with several explorations and a few upsets. At the end of the day, when it's Father who is hurt, the small bear soothes his dad with gentle words and a big hug. The charming mixed-media illustrations, from small vignettes to double-page spreads, are softly hued except for Hansie's bright red shirt. An ever-present family of ducks appears in most pictures and adds lightness and humor. Hansie is a prime example of how a youngster models behaviors, from mimicking his friends' playful antics to displaying sympathy and caring learned from watching his father.--Owen, Maryann Copyright 2010 Booklist
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
What is it about the repetition of "There, there" that makes a person feel instantly understood and comforted? While McBratney and Bates don't venture into lexical semantics (thank goodness), they are eloquent on the phrase's power as a manifestation of empathy. When their hero, Hansie Bear, suffers the minor slings and arrows of childhood (a stumble, a hurt knee, a head bump, sand in his eyes), his father gives him an enveloping cuddle, says "There, there," and the cub feels "right again." There are no big surprises in this simply told book, but it's a deeply resonant story. Bates, who previously collaborated with McBratney on Just You and Me and other titles, offers softly radiant sketches that capture the reassuring warmth of the father's furry embrace, while McBratney contributes some exceedingly lovely dialogue. "I was trying to walk like a duck!" the injured Hansie explains. "Well, that's not easy," says his father sagely, "unless you are a duck." It's not surprising that when Dad needs a little "There, there," himself, Hansie is ready to step up: after all, he's learned from a master. Ages 3-7. (Sept.) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.
(c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
Review by School Library Journal Review
PreS-Gr 2-Hansie Bear is a bit clumsy. Although he has lots of ideas and imagination when it comes to pretending, he always gets bumped or scraped in some way. It would be fun to walk like a duck, he thinks, until he falls sideways into a ditch and hurts his knee. Digging his deepest hole ever just gets sand in his eyes, and he also falls off his swing and bumps his head. Luckily, Dad is there to rescue his cub. He puts a bandage on Hansie's knee, tells the little bear to "blinkety-blink" to clear his eyes, hugs him, and offers a timely "there, there.you'll be fine" after each mishap. With such comforting, Hansie is up and ready to play again. But later that afternoon, he sees his father coming home walking very slowly. Dad hurt his foot when he stepped on a thorn. Mom pulls it out, but Hansie knows just what to do to make his dad feel better: "There, there," he says with a hug, "we'll be all right now." The soft illustrations are done in mixed media; Bates has captured the warmth of a father's love for his son in the older bear's expressions, and Hansie is an adorable young bear, full of curiosity and energy. A fine portrayal of parental love and caring.-Roxanne Burg, Orange County Public Library, CA (c) Copyright 2013. 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
Bear cub Hansie loves to play outside but keeps getting hurt; his dad is always nearby with a bandage or other solace. So when Hansie notices that Dad is limping, he springs into action. Offering a quiet lesson in helping others, this story takes its time, for which the reader, encouraged to linger over the tender autumnal art, is rewarded. (c) Copyright 2014. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Kirkus Book Review
Fans of McBratney's best-known work, Guess How Much I Love You (illustrated by Anita Jeram, 1994), will recognize (and embrace) the cozy tone of this charming story about how to cope with mishaps. They're also likely to welcome little Hansie and his parents, a cuddly, anthropomorphized bear family, with open arms. Hansie behaves like a typical preschooler, busy mimicking the world around him, digging in the dirt and playing with his friends. Each scenario, however, leads to a minor injury or moment of discomfort. Hansie bangs his knee, gets sand in his eyes and knocks his head against a low-hanging branch. In each case, his father is close by, ready to apply a bandage, advise him to "blinkety blink" to clear his vision or give his head a rub. Each simple remedy is capped with a big hug and a comforting "There, there." When his father comes home later in need of care, Hansie is happy to return the favor. McBratney's plot doesn't break any new ground, but he endows his ursine characters with distinct voices and effectively captures a young child's endearingly imaginative play. Bates' mixed-media illustrations, meanwhile, add even more sweetness and an old-fashioned feel, with rounded shapes, soft outlines, subdued colors and engaging details (don't miss the ducks playing in the sand). A pleasing portrait of a nurturing father-son relationship, McBratney's latest should find a warm welcome. (Picture book. 4-7)]] Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
