Good Morning, Grizzle Grump!

PreS-Gr 1—In this follow-up to the hilarious Goodnight, Grizzle Grump!, Blecha takes readers on a familiar yet new journey with his grumpy grizzly bear. Spring arrives and the bear awakens. With a "sniff sniff snuffle," this hungry fellow follows his nose from meal to meal, just to watch his food get snatched by other bears. The narrative flows smoothly. On pages where the bear gathers food, his actions draw readers' eyes from the verso to the recto, right into a trio of paws reaching from beyond the page turn. Visually and verbally, Blecha's work lends itself well to a storytime setting. Many aspects make it a great choice for dialogic reading, and onomatopoeic words (which are usually highlighted in eye-catching yellow and orange font) are integral to the telling. Keen observers will also note the smaller "hee hee hees" coming from the hidden squirrel and delight in being in on the surprise before the reveal. Goofy character designs, reminiscent of those in animated TV shows, fit the silly tone.