Bears don't eat egg sandwiches

Bears don't eat egg sandwichesbut a tasty little boy, just maybe.As Fulton's story opens, Jack, a young boy, is getting ready to have a favorite lunch of egg sandwiches when a bear knocks on the door. "I'm hungry," the bear informs Jack. Jack suggests an egg sandwich. "Bears don't eat egg sandwiches," replies the bear. As the bear goes about setting up its lunch of choiceit needs a big plate and a big spoonJack keeps mentioning that egg sandwiches really are tops and lots would fit on a big plate and lots would fit in a big spoon. But bears don't eat egg sandwiches. When Jack is situated squarely on the plate, the bear admits that what bears like to eat are "little boys!" As it opens its maw to slip Jack in, Jack starts listing the reasons he would not be a tasty bite. He'd taste of "grass stains and snot," of mud and unwashed socks. Then Jack pulls the ace from his sleeve. He'll taste like egg sandwiches, whereupon the bear spits Jack out. "Eeeeeuuuuuuuucccccchhh!" howls the bear. This sufficiently cockamamie story is complemented by broadly cartoonish, digitally collaged artwork, and young readers will enjoy both the dawning realization that the bear wishes to eat Jack and chiming in on its repeated, increasingly energetic declarations that "Bears don't eat egg sandwiches!"A clever tale about ursine dietary restrictions. (Picture book. 4-8) Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.