Bonny Becker

Bear really doesn't like the unfamiliar - but as moms have always said, how do you know you don't like it if you haven't tried it? In this case, what Bear doesn't like is birthdays - or balloons, or cake, or parties. But persistent Mouse - small and gray and bright-eyed, of course - has set out to give Bear a great birthday, complete with balloons, cake, and a present - even if he has to adopt disguises to accomplish his purpose. I just adore these Bear & Mouse stories - the gentle show more watercolors, the juxtaposition of big and small, the determination of both of the characters, the humor in the drawings (especially Mouse). show less

Bear and Mouse are back in this fourth picture-book devoted to their doings, this time confronting illness in their very different ways. Bear, who has a cold and feels that he is on death's door, does not appreciate the cheerful insouciance of his tiny murine friend, who (in Bear's mind) does not recognize the gravity of the situation. Wise Mouse humors his ursine companion, taking no offense at his grouchiness, and when he (Mouse) becomes ill, his kindness is repaid...

Something that has show more struck me, in reading the previous installments of American author Bonny Becker and Canadian illustrator Kady MacDonald Denton's Bear and Mouse series, is how long they are, for picture-books. The previous two titles - A Birthday for Bear and A Bedtime for Bear - were both 46 pages, considerably longer than the 32-page average for the form. The Sniffles for Bear however, is the more standard 32 pages. Despite that fact, it manages to create quite an impact, and is every bit as amusing, heartwarming and perceptive as its predecessors. I really enjoy Becker's writing in these books - picture-book writing is undervalued as a skill, I find - and this one in particular stands out. I love the fact that there is always a little prologue, and that Mouse is always described as "small, gray and bright-eyed." There's such a droll humor to this one though, as when Mouse "looked sad, but his tail didn't." I found myself chuckling in appreciation of both characters, even as I identified more with doom and gloom Bear, than the optimistic Mouse. The accompanying watercolor, ink and gouache artwork by Denton is every bit as expressive as in previous titles, capturing the changing emotional states of its two main characters perfectly. Highly recommended, both to those who have read and enjoyed previous stories about Bear and Mouse, and to anyone looking for odd-couple friendship stories for children. show less

Mouse knows best once again in this third entertaining picture-book chronicling the friendship between that irrepressible bundle of murine charm and his rather persnickety, somewhat curmudgeonly ursine friend, Bear. Bear, who likes his bedtime to be just so - sleeping cap positioned just right, glass of water in the correct place, and most of all: absolute silence - finds the presence of Mouse disturbing, on the night of their first sleepover. After the predictable conflicts over noise, it show more is Mouse who gets to sleep first, only to be awakened by Bear, who thinks he's heard something in the dark. Clever Mouse finds a way to reassure his friend, all while letting him save face, and pretend that it is Mouse who is fearful...

Like the previous two titles in this series, A Visitor for Bear and A Birthday for Bear, A Bedtime for Bear pairs a delightfully perceptive tale from American author Bonny Becker with amusing, expressive artwork from Canadian illustrator Kady MacDonald Denton. This "odd couple friendship" tale-type seems quite popular right now in the world of picture-books - one need only think of Jory John and Benji Davies' Goodnight Already, and its sequels, for a prominent example - but Becker and Denton are the masters in the field. Somehow they always manage to create a confection of a picture-book, one that reduces me to helpless giggling at times, but also manages to be quite heartwarming. Denton's watercolor, ink and gouache illustrations capture the slyly humorous back-and-forth between the two characters perfectly, while the text maintains the ideal pacing, keeping the reader engaged. Recommended to anyone who has read and enjoyed other stories about Bear and Mouse, and to anyone looking for picture-books featuring unlikely friendships. show less

Bear and Mouse return in this second delightful picture-book devoted to their adventures, following upon the marvelous A Visitor for Bear. Irascible Bear, who is decidedly NOT interested in birthdays, finds that his irrepressible little murine friend - "small and gray and bright-eyed" - once again doesn't know how to take no for an answer. Knocking on his front door, then his back, then his window, Mouse attempts to deliver birthday cards, presents and cake to Bear, who is keeping busy with show more chores. Although rebuffed at every turn, Mouse keeps at it, until (predictably) his curmudgeonly ursine friend realizes he might be interested in birthdays after all...

Like the first book about the doings of this adorable duo and their hilarious interactions, A Birthday for Bear pairs an engaging, well-written story from American author Bonny Becker with cute, expressive artwork from Canadian illustrator Kady MacDonald Denton. Although the second in the series about these two characters, this is actually the third I have read, as I picked up the sixth, A Christmas for Bear, this past holiday season. I find these books equal parts heart-warming and humorous, and enjoy both text and artwork immensely. Denton's illustrations really capture both characters' personalities, and I found myself giggling on more than one occasion at Mouse's exuberant joie-de-vivre and Bear's almost incredulous irritation. Recommended to anyone who has read and enjoyed other picture-books about Bear and Mouse, and to anyone looking for children's stories featuring unlikely, odd-couple friendships. show less