Five Bears: A tale of friendship, written and illustrated by Catherine Rayner. Macmillan, Raincoast. $15.99 ages 3 and up

 

"The Other Bear walked on. 

Bear decided to follow. 

Two bears wandered along at different paces, 
thinking different thoughts, and looking in 
different directions, when they met ... "

Each of the five bears in this welcome book from Catherine Rayner is different from the others. In the beginning, Bear is out for a walk alone before encountering Other Bear. Bear is suspicious of Other Bear's attention. Other Bear is merely saying hello and wishing Bear a nice day. 

As the two walk on together, they meet another bear who is not pleased with their presence. First Bear and Other Bear assure Grunty Bear they want nothing and wish that third bear a nice day. Offering a contrite thanks, the bears on ... differently, but looking in the same direction which allows them to see 'a very big bear! 

Very Big Bear hasn't a good word to say. After all, they are unknown visitors. The three walk on, while wishing Very Big Bear a nice day. Feeling lonely as they walk away, Very Big Bear decides to follow. Now there are four bears walking along, and all starting to think they like the company of others. 

When they see a bear stuck in a large tree, the Stuck Bear is not looking for help. Can that be true? 

"They talked, they planned, and they encouraged the 
Stuck Bear until, at last, they helped that bear down." 

Explaining they helped because sometimes help is needed and wishing Unstuck Bear a nice day, they move on.  It isn't long until Unstuck Bear calls out to them, saying there is no certainty that other bears are friendly. Can different bears be friends? Turns out that each one of them has the same reason for being together! 

This is a wonderful readaloud for an early years classroom. The ability to anticipate what comes next, the repetitive language that connects one meeting to the next, and the thought process as the bears move forward toward lasting friendship has implications for important and relevant conversation. 

 Catherine Rayner’s textured and expressive illustrations are a real delight and will hold attentions from start to finish. Kids will want to identify the bear species and that could easily lend itself to further research and learning.                                                                                        

Narwhal's Sweet Tooth, written and illustrated by Ben Clanton. tundra, Penguin Random House. 2024. $16.99 ages 4 and up

"Huh, I guess not everyone 
shows how they feel in the
same way, Narwhal.
Maybe you just don't 
frown when you're down? 
But then, what do you do?

I'm not 
sure ... "

If you have a fan in your home or classroom, I'm sure they have been waiting with bated breath for this ninth book in the Narwhal and Jelly graphic novel series. 

A strange feeling in his tusk has Narwhal wondering how it looks to his friend Jelly. Jelly's astonished face is enough to get Narwhal thinking how the crack that is there might have happened. Could it have been fencing lessons with a swordfish, or ring toss with an octopus, or using it as a flagpole? Finally, Narwhal mentions the snacks: peanut butter cookies, cakes, ice cream, brownies? All sweet stuff. It turns out that Narwhal has been using his tusk as a snack saver. 

What is that, you ask. Why, it's a place to stack snacks and then leave them for eating when ready. Jelly observes just thinking about all those snacks affords a toothache. Something needs to be done about the state of Narwhal's tusk. And all that snacking.  Shark is well versed in dental hygiene. Of course! Think of all those teeth she has to take care of every day.

The four stories told are full of fun and friendship. Part of the telling involves Jelly and Crab wanting Narwhal, who does nothing but smile, to know it is all right to frown sometimes. If feeling upset about something, he can allow for a bad day sometimes. Narwhal asserts that his mood is mostly a happy one. He makes those around him feel the same way. 

Fun for fans and a worthwhile addition to a very popular series. 

Science Comics: Elephants Living Large. Written by Jason Viola and illustrated by Faylnn Koch. First Second, Macmillan. Raincoast, 2024. $16.99 ages 9 and up

"The biggest threat to our family would be 
Grandmother's death. I don't know what 
we would do. 

If we lost her, it would be as if we lost 
ourselves. 

I worry about what could happen 
without her to guide us."

If you have not read or even seen the Science Comics series books, quick to the library to see what they have! Here are but a few of the titles: Dinosaurs, Coral Reefs, Bats, Robots and Drones, Dogs, The Brain, Birds of Prey, Trees, The Solar System, Cars, Frogs, Wild Weather, Bridges, The Periodic Table of Elements, and the list goes on. I'm sure you can find a title there that would be of interest to someone you know. 

In this terrific addition to the series readers learn in both entertaining and informative ways what living life as an elephant on a day-to-day basis is like. It is narrated by Duni, an eight-year-old elephant whose life within her matriarchal family is described in graphic novel form. She talks about her older brother who remains attached to the herd without being around much. That worries his sister. 

It may be surprising to readers how similar elephants are to humans, in various ways. They live in families, care about the welfare of others, support those in need of support and honor their elders. Readers will also learn about the differences between species, their trunks and tusks and how they are used, those animals that threaten them and their families, their rituals in finding a mate. 

Excellent illustrations, charts, maps, dialogue, humor and constant learning are what make this book a real treat for those kids who want to know more about these amazing mammals and their families. The book follows Duni for several years, always informing readers about survival, threats, and their most endearing characteristics. 

Illustrations by Falynn Koch add context, humor, and great detail to help with the learning. A glossary provides definitions of terms presented throughout the text. 

"Like our home range, 
an elephant family 
follows a cycle ... 

... while also changing, 
growing, and moving. 

Don't worry. 
We're all in this 
together."

Out of the Valley of the Horses, written by Wendy Orr. Pajama Press, 2024. $23.95 ages 9 and up

 

"She grabbed a thick vine growing from a crack 
in the waterfall rocks and swung out to drop into 
the pool below. It was deep and deliciously perfect, 
warm and swirly, because the waterfall kept on 
pouring cold water into the hot. Honey's feet 
touched the bottom and then she was bursting 
up through the surface, laughing and spluttering
with her hair floating around her."

Honey and her family found peace in the enchanted valley of the horses. It is just what they were looking for when they chose to leave their home in search of adventure, because of the terrible sickness that was threatening the world. As they drove over the bridge that led them into the valley, it disappeared behind them. While it offered what they needed in terms of isolation, it also became a prison when they could not find their way out. 

Honey, Nanna, Momma, Papa and her younger brother, Rumi, learned to live off what the valley provides and what they brought with them in the ice cream van that is their home. Honey was four when they arrived; she is now approaching her eleventh birthday. The horses are a constant presence and allow the children to ride them. It is idyllic, for the most part. They spend days riding to various parts of the valley. None allow them to see the bridge that brought them across the river when they first arrived. 

The family is now facing a problem that no one can fix - Papa is sick, and getting sicker. The first aid book tells them that he has appendicitis and that he needs help. On a ride with Midnight and Moongold one day, the children think they see a brown strip they think is the bridge. It allows Honey to consider riding out of the valley in search of an ambulance to get her father to the hospital. 

On her eleventh birthday, she takes a chance at finally finding a way out. She and Moonglow set off on a journey away from the valley. Rumi is the only one who knows where she has gone. Moongold's magic is up to the task. Together they discover an outside world filled with new and unusual people and places for Honey. Through it all, they find what they are looking for, and get the help Papa needs. 

This mix of fantasy and realism is a wonderful family story that reads quickly and appeals throughout the telling. The apt descriptions of both valley and real world are compelling and hold interest from start to finish. Honey is a strong, resourceful, thoughtful character and her journey is worthy. 

The Smallest Owlet, written and illustrated by Georgia Graham. Fitzhenry and Whiteside, 2023. $24.95 ages 5 and up

 

"Each day the owlets grow louder. Today, 
Smallest Owlet squawks, demanding to be 
fed, and the other two owlets join in. 

Father Owl delivers the body of a plump
ground squirrel. Mother Owl tears off tiny
pieces and feeds the owlets one at a time. 
She knows to feed her smallest owlet the 
tiniest pieces."

While relating a family tale based on something that happened in a grove of trees behind Georgia Graham's house, the author also manages to offer up a bundle of information about the great horned owls who nested there. 

Her story begins in winter, when snow is still on the ground and the trees are bare of leaves. A pair of owls are on the lookout for a place to rest and nest while winter turns to spring. They find an old magpie nest and choose it as the place for laying three eggs ... one each day for three days. The female stays with the eggs; the male provides the food she needs. 

The owlets are born one at a time, in the order that they were laid. Each is smaller than the one that comes ahead of them. They are loud, and they are hungry. While the mother feeds them, the father flies back and forth providing all the sustenance they need. Weeks later, all are resting when a visit from crows startles them all, especially Smallest Owl. 

The owlets are growing and both Father and Mother are on a constant hunt for food. One stays with the owlets while the other is off searching. While the owlets cannot yet fly, they can feed themselves when there is food to eat. When crows attack, mother and babies are terrified. Father Owl arrives to chase them away. In his fear Smallest Owlet tumbles from the nest. 

Mother Owl stays with him on the ground, while Father takes care of feeding his entire family. Mother Owl is a formidable protector of her young, from a coyote and an inquisitive family of visitors. Luckily, Smallest Owlet is now capable of climbing up the tree's bark and back to the nest. From there, he and his siblings will soon learn everything they need to know. At nine weeks old, they are flying and feeding themselves.   

Ms. Graham’s brilliant, realistic artwork will have all readers poring over the book's pages. Hers is a remarkable close-up look at the Great Horned Owl. In backmatter, she provides four additional pages of facts, all exceedingly fascinating.  

"Great Horned Owls eat a wide variety of 
prey, but their main food source is small 
mammals, including skunks. They don't 
mind the smell - owls have a very poor 
sense of smell."                                                                                

Benjamin's Thunderstorm, written by Melanie Florence and illustrated by Hawlii Pichette. Kids Can Press, 2024. $21.99 ages 4 and up

"His friend Joe told him that thunder was 
the sound of the thunderbirds beating
their giant wings in the sky. 
Benjamin thought it sounded exactly 
like the drum his grandfather played. 
Like a heartbeat." 

Like most kids, Benjamin loves the rain. Give him some rainboots and big puddles and he is a happy boy! As he jumps and plays, he can hear rolling thunder. Remembering what Joe told him, he imitates thunder's roar to prove he has no fear of it. Of all the beauty to be found in rain, Benjamin loves thunder first. 

When lightning makes a jolting appearance, Benjamin is not so keen. He hears his mother calling; the lure thunder's sounds keep him where he is and stepping in time to the drumbeats he feels in his heart. He dances as he makes his way closer to home. 

"He danced past puddles, nodding to the rainbows inside them. He spun, first one way, then the other. He tapped his feet and lifted his knees like his father had taught him."

When the thunder stops, Benjamin can again hear his mother calling him home. He is safe and warm with her when the storm finally moves in. What joy it is to dance in the rain! Anyone who has done will know exactly how Benjamin feels. 

Ms. Florence does a wonderful job of allowing readers to feel the pure joy Benjamin feels as he experiences a thunderstorm. By comparing it to the joy felt when dancing powwow, those who share this story will feel the power of the drums and the call to dance. Hawlii Pichette's inspired images are full of color and joy. Many Cree words are used throughout the text. A pronunciation guide and translations following the story help with understanding.  

When Rabbit Was a Lion, written and illustrated by Eugenie Fernandes. Owlkids, 2023. $21.95 ages 3 and up

 

"With oodles of things that had to be done, 
the rabbit whispered to himself. 
"One thing at a time, Rabbit. One thing at 
a time."

He mowed the lawn and weeded and raked
and watered the garden and scrubbed and 
baked. He gathered flowers and decorated 
the yard." 

Rabbit is keen on his friends and likes having them near. The little girl, who lives with him and knows him very well, is surprised when he suggests he would like to have a party. Rabbit doesn't like noise or crowds, but he likes those friends. So, she helps him with plans for the costume party. 

Rabbit immediately begins work on his mask, keeping what he plans to be to himself until he is finished his work. It's a busy time for both as they make preparations for a good time. When everything is done and the party is about to begin, Rabbit starts to question himself.. 

"What if I look silly in my costume? 
What if the party is a flop?"

The little girl assures him that it might be very good and a lot of fun. As the guests arrive, Rabbit is impressed with their costumes; the guests are delighted with the party. The air is filled with music, laughter, talk ... all very loud! The rabbit, dressed as a lion, is happy to see his friends having a great time. Then, he isn't. He finds a place to rest as the noise hits a crescendo, covering his ears before landing in a flower bed. Poor rabbit. He is done. 

His friends realize what is happening and very quickly change the tone of the celebration. Speaking softly, choosing quiet pursuits, and having time to paint leads to a happier lion. When asked the following day what he would like to do next week, the rabbit has a surprise in store for his friend. Or is it? 

Warm, softly-colored images fill the pages and offer a story that speaks for those introverted kids who like to party in their own quiet way. Rabbit is lucky to have thoughtful, caring friends who accept him for who he is and honor that.