Sharing is unbearable!

Orson the bear happens upon a smooth, warm rock, perfect for a nap. Wouldn't you know it, but Izzy the bear also finds a smooth, warm rock . . . and it's the same one! Bears may love to nap, but they sure don't seem to like sharing. When the same old tiresome "solutions" fail--come on already with the taking turns or someone finding a different rock--they reach an impasse that every young reader will recognize and feel ever so deeply. This may be a well-traveled forest, but that doesn't mean a bright new telling can't plant some burgeoning seeds. The idea of cooperating on adjacent projects to foster harmony or paying attention to how others' emotions are affected could take root when those same young readers get a little distance by seeing others (even bears) go through these problems. The humorously straitlaced narration and the zest of the art, filled with a tranquil forest and emotive, cartoon characters, will invite return reads, and the large, read-aloud-friendly pictures will make that easy.

Does a bear share in the woods? The answer may surprise you! Orson the bear goes for a walk and spies a big rock--an ideal napping spot! But another bear, Izzy, has her eye on the rock, too. Izzy suggests they take turns, but her turn lasts far too long, so Orson drenches her with cold water. The two rivals have reached a stalemate. Orson brings Izzy a different rock, but its thin, sharp shape makes it unsuitable. As they each grab hold of the coveted rock, they tear it apart. Eventually they decide to repair it and to amend their no-sharing policy. After all, "sharing is hard," as Izzy points out, "but NOT sharing might be harder." The main duo aren't so much an odd couple as they are two of a kind, a relationship that's underscored when they team up to loudly shoo a bird away from "our rock." The ease with which they acknowledge their stubbornness only makes their continued argument that much more entertaining. Neither party is wrong, but the only workable solution occurs when they team up to make things right. Short, stubby brown Orson and tall, lanky, gray Izzy have complementary designs, though they would be the last to admit it. Backgrounds are full of trees and greenery, with a few pages set against mostly white backdrops. An amusing lesson in how to compromise from two bears who would rather not. (Graphic fiction. 4-8) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.