Review by School Library Journal Review
Toddler-PreS-"Down in the forest,/Bear started to doze./When a small stripy bug/came and sat on his nose." As the annoying bug zips around, insisting that Bear's fur is the best place for him, Bear grows irritable. He pleads, stomps, and swats and even suggests that other forest animals, who look hilariously aghast, might make better companions. When Owl introduces his furry friend Sloth, all ends happily. The cheerful red bug is adorable, and children can trace his path on most pages. Orange leaves here and there, along with Bear's desire to rest, suggest that the setting is autumn, but there are also images of green grass and small yellow flowers, making the book's enjoyment appropriate any time of year. With sizable images in lively watercolors combined with a concise rhyming text, this is a good choice for toddler and preschool storytimes. VERDICT A delightful option for read-alouds or one-on-one sharing.-Gaye Hinchliff, King County Library System, WA © Copyright 2017. 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 Kirkus Book Review
A bear's tranquility and rest are rudely interrupted by a buzzing, whirring bug eager to make the bear's warm fur his new place of lodging.Bug's incessant swirling about and landing on Bear is exasperating, leaving Bear to growl, "My fur's not your home. Now PLEASE go away!" But the stripy red insect is all too content to settle in on Bear, even though his home seems "a TEENSY bit grumpy." Bear's desperate cry, "Won't SOMEBODY help me?" brings clever old Owl with a plan, and relief is finally suggested for the agitated bear. Bothersome Bug is encouraged to nestle in with Sloth, who welcomes the idea. " I'd be MOST grateful,' said Sloth with a grin, / To have a small bug make his home on my skin. / I don't move around much because I'm so slow. / But now I'll have a friend wherever I go!' " Bug's energetic dancing spin is highlighted with a tangle of dashes around Bear's frustrated poses. Bold, large animal caricatures in vibrant colors, often on double-page spreads, balance well with the fluent rhyming text making it suitably easy for multiple readings. It's too bad there's no author's note to provide a basic explanation of why a sloth's fur is a perfect host for bugs, and the flora and fauna are more consistent of a northern woodland than a sloth's typical rain- or cloud-forest habitat. Quibbles aside, a gratifying and satisfying animal tale. (Picture book. 3-5) Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
