The Next Door Bear

PreS-Gr 2—This disjointed story about making friends seems unsure of its message and never comes together. Emma is new in the city and waiting for an invitation to run through the sprinklers. A bee chases her into the elevator where an unexpected rear door opens onto a garden full of flowers, and a huge bear growls at her. Back in the elevator, the bear, now dressed in a suit, joins her, and she apologizes for coming uninvited. She tries again to join the other children, but "it was never her turn." The bear invites her back to the garden where they play in the sprinklers. Emboldened by her time with him, a smile wins her the words: "You're new. You go first." The illustrations effectively convey the emotions of the story. On the initial spreads, the children and backgrounds are in shades of blue and gray, while Emma is clothed in vivid pinks and reds. The garden is a riot of color, but upon Emma's exit, blues and grays take over again. After she befriends the bear, warm colors invade the elevator, and at her ultimate inclusion, the background comes into vivid color. Emma is appealingly portrayed and the children are depicted in constant motion. Unfortunately, the story starts off abruptly, and the reasons for Emma's initial exclusion and ultimate acceptance are unclear. The implication is that politeness and kindness makes friends, but how it works remains murky and is likely to leave young listeners confused.—Amy Lilien-Harper, The Ferguson Library, Stamford, CT