When I'm Bigger, Mama Bear

October 15, 2020
Bella Bear wants to stir soup and cut bread, but Mama Bear must prevent her from doing these and other dangerous adult tasks. Mama Bear tries to distract her precocious tot with a trip to the supermarket. Soon Bella's racing on her tricycle and proclaiming herself ready for a two-wheeler. At the market, Bella fills her own cart with groceries, Mama worriedly eyeing the growing pile. Then Bella does something even more problematic. After seeing chocolate cookies on the top shelf (and knowing Mama's penchant for chocolate), the cub decides to climb up for a box. Bella manages to reach the cookies--but suddenly Bella is scared and needs her mother's help, because she is quite small, after all. It's a good thing Mama is so tall. When they get home safely, the mother and daughter discuss the reality that while it's good to be big, being small has its advantages, and Bella finally gets the message. The two brown bears of different shades and sizes have a textured look and bold outlines that make them stand out against mostly solid-colored backgrounds. They wear aprons in the house, and their cartoony features are appealing. Their familial love is heartfelt, and the rhyming story conveys a message that young children will easily relate to in a pre-K classroom, library storytime, or a family setting. (This book was reviewed digitally with 10-by-20-inch double-page spreads viewed at 30.3% of actual size.) Will strike a chord in many a family. (Picture book. 3-5)

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November 1, 2020

PreS-Gr 2-Bella (In a Minute, Mama Bear) is back in a new adventure as she navigates more childhood challenges. When Mama Bear is making lunch, Bella wants to help. She's too little to stir the hot soup, chop up vegetables with the sharp knife, ride a big kid bicycle instead of her jaunty yellow tricycle, or go shopping by herself. When at the store, Mama Bear keeps a close eye on Bella, but the young cub starts climbing the shop shelves. Only at the top does she realize how very high and scary the world looks from that perspective. Mama Bear saves the day, reassuring Bella that everybody needs help sometimes, not just little bears. The colorful illustrations and wobbly font are reminiscent of Bright's previous "Love Monster" series. Bella's frustration at constantly being told "no" will be familiar to those who find themselves too small for big kid tasks. VERDICT Told in a straightforward cadence, this is a sweet and encouraging read-aloud for little ones who can't wait to grow up.-Alyssa Annico, Youngstown State Univ., OH

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