Ciara Flood

A bear lives alone in the woods, and he likes it that way. One day a family of rabbits builds their house nearby and they keep coming over and trying to make friends by asking the bear if he'd like to do things with them. The bear, shocker, does not want to make friends. Until one day the rabbits leave him a basket of little gifts, which the bear enjoys greatly and then thinks maybe he would like to have some friends. So he seeks out the rabbits and they all hang out together. The illustrations here are whimsical and wonderful. At first I was a little "let people who want to be left alone *be left alone*" about the story, but the more I think about it, the more I feel like there's a subtle message here about love languages and finding the way to approach potential new friends on their terms. I'm not sure the book is trying to sell that message rather than the more straight-forward "don't be a grump," but I still think it's there. Mostly recommended.… (mer)

I really enjoyed this book for many reasons. The book was an amazing read from beginning to end, with even the front and back cover having illustrations on them as well! The illustrations were carefully yet well done. The pictures use nice warm colors as the Bear's attitude is grumpy and as he warms up, the pictures get brighter! In every picture was a little mouse hidden, which draws in the readers attention and interaction in finding it on every page. The pictures really bring to life all the characters in a humors way that are sure to engage the readers while bringing out a few laughs.The characters are depicted as animals which allows all readers to connect with the storyline rather than identifying with a specific character that "looks like them". The character's are well developed, as we can see the slow change in Mr. Bear's attitude toward the rabbits over time. This book encourages readers that sometimes change is a good thing and that the only thing you can do is accept it rather than resent it. Some other values derived from this book include sharing, kindness, and being neighborly.… (mer)