Review by School Library Journal Review
K-Gr 2--Out of the goodness of his heart, Bruce the bear has decided to make a fall feast to share with his three mouse companions. But the dinner falls apart when Bruce is not looking. His stew becomes a foot bath, peas are flung all over the kitchen, and apples are eaten long before they can become a delicious pie. When it comes time for dinner and an unexpected guest arrives, Bruce might be empty-handed, but he realizes that there's more to be thankful for. This is a delightfully entertaining addition to the "Bruce" series that doesn't make any specific references to Thanksgiving, though it's implied. Told through short sentences and ample dialogue, the book will appeal to fans of the other stories, who will love the humor and heart here. The text is spare, inviting readers to use illustrations and context to comprehend the full meaning of each page. Higgins's familiar illustrative style continues in this book, often dividing each page into one half for Bruce and the other half for the mice. As the antics of the mice continue, the images overflow into one another while the expressive and contradictory facial expressions will entertain readers of all ages. With detailed, comedic images that incorporate reds, oranges, and yellows, this book celebrates the Thanksgiving holiday from an entertaining and surprising angle. VERDICT Fans of the Bruce stories will love including this seasonal addition in their story time rotations.--Mary Lanni, formerly at Denver P.L.
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Review by Horn Book Review
Poor Bruce. The mice of Soggy Hollow keep surprising the grumpy unibrowed bear (from Mother Bruce, etc.) by ruining different parts of the surprise autumn feast he was cooking for them. His stew becomes their foot bath, the peas are used for "pea-pong," the gravy slide...well, it's a mess. And, oh yeah, let's not forget that they invite a wet moose for dinner! When Bruce unsurprisingly has nothing to serve, laughing listeners may join in to shout the titular phrase. Higgins's comedic timing is spot-on in the pithy text and the textured illustrations, which include a pumpkin stuck on one mouse's head and a can of Ocean Spray look-alike "Sea Sneeze Cranberry Sauce." Here's something to be thankful for this Thanksgiving: more Bruce! Cynthia K. Ritter November/December 2021 p.22(c) Copyright 2021. 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.
