A Cub Story

Starred review from August 9, 2021
A smiling, dot-eyed brown bear cub narrates its life over the course of a year, taking readers through seasonal bear activities, including sitting “very still” in front of a waterfall during spring, rolling down a hill into blackberry bushes in the summertime, fishing in the fall, and hibernating in the winter. As the cub compares its attributes to the animals around it—a moose’s appetite dwarfs its own, and the cub is a slower runner than the elk—young bear enthusiasts will find plenty to capture their attention. Tracy adds endearing, sensorial touches to otherwise straightforward diction: “This is my den./ I like it here./ Tucked in the back./ On top of leaves./ Curled into a cuddle lump.” Farrell contributes cheery, engaging art rendered in gouache, colored pencil, ink, and digital mixed media to this lightly informative, bear-centered board book. Ages 2–4.

November 15, 2021
A cub frolics and munches his way through an idyllic first year. "I am a bear. Do you see me?" Nestled inside a tall book with a narrow trim size, a small bear lives its best life, introducing young readers to bear habitats, foods, and activities throughout all the seasons. The bear's breezy, childlike narration is informative; digestible chunks of information tell readers that it is "an expert at smelling" and has "big claws." But within this simplicity there are helpful visual and textual cues about seasonal changes and useful context given through direct comparisons: "Compared to a hedgehog, I eat a lot. Compared to a moose, I eat a little." Laced throughout the story are tender turns of phrase that make the narrative more intimate, as when the cub rests in a "cuddle lump." The round, inquisitive, and endearing cub does mostly bearlike things, such as encountering delicious blackberries and fishing in streams, but there are a few slightly anthropomorphized scenes, such as when the bear plays "games" with a fox and wolf, making this book nonfiction-adjacent. Farrell's loose, languid, full-bleed illustrations appear airy and simple and create a warm and homey feel, especially in a dark hibernation scene with the cub and its mother: "With my mama, I am just right." Bear-y sweet. (Board book. 1-4)

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