A Story for Small Bear
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- $6.99
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- $6.99
Publisher Description
In this sweet, lyrical picture book, perfect for bedtime, a playful cub prepares for hibernation, saving just enough time for Mama to share a story before they must settle down.
Autumn is ending and a chilly breeze is drifting in, which can mean only one thing-- it's time to hibernate over the long winter. But before Small Bear does, she'd like for Mama to tell her some stories. Mama agrees, with one condition: all the preparation must get done-- no dilly, no dally. So Small Bear tries to be good, venturing off to find sprigs for her winter bed, splishing and splashing in the stream, and climbing up, up, up into the tall forest trees in search of acorns. When she finally returns home, Small Bear snuggles down with Mama in their den. Did she make it back in time? "You did," Mama answers, and pulls her in close. And then Mama tells the most wonderful tale of a little bear--just like Small Bear--who, while enjoying the world around her, saved just enough time for stories.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
A mama bear and her cub prepare for hibernation in this gentle seasonal bedtime story by McGinty. When Mama Bear sniffs frost on the air, she says it's time to start their winter slumber. "Will you tell me stories before we sleep?" requests Small Bear. "If you help no dilly, no dally," replies Mama in what becomes a refrain. As signs of winter persist ("wind was biting, winter knocking"), the pair gather pine sprigs, bathe in a stream, and tuck into a meal of berries and acorns, and Small Bear, doing her best not to dally, gets a final moment with favorite forest spots. When at last the duo snuggle into their cozy den, the tale that Mama Bear recounts brings the book to a satisfying full circle. Working with acrylic and watercolor, Jones layers illustrations for a richly textured effect. Smudgy landscapes create calming backdrops against which wildflower-filled forest scenes play out; together with McGinty's expert prose and pacing, they elevate a predictable arc into something memorable. Ages 3 7.
