Can you imagine what it would be like if your back disappeared? On a cool, autumn morning, Lima Bear, a little bear who is the size and shape of a lima bean, is sleeping in his walnut-shell bed when his friend Whistle-Toe the rabbit comes by with a note from Plumpton the opossum asking for their help in an emergency. They get another friend, Maskamal the raccoon, and find that Plumpton’s back has disappeared. While searching for it in the meadow, Whistle-Toe is captured by some kids out playing soccer and put in a cage. Then when Maskamal tries to rescue him, he is caught too. Is there anything that Lima Bear and Plumpton can do to save their friends? And will Plumpton ever find his back?
This is the second title in the “Lima Bear Stories” series, based on tales that author Thomas Weck told his children, including co-author Peter Weck, when they were small. For children who are readers, both the text and the illustrations by Len DiSalvo are crafted so that the book not only is fun to read but also introduces young minds to new expressions and new vocabulary in a way that is easy to understand. It is also perfect as a read-aloud to toddlers as well. In addition, each story has a “deeper” meaning. The take-away message from How Back-Back Got His Name is that the tolerance of differences in others yields benefits. At the end of the book, there are a couple of pages with thought questions and related activities which will help parents, grandparents, teachers, or others who are sharing the book to make it a fun learning experience. It’s a really neat story! ( )