Bears Don’t Cry!, by Emma Chichester Clark, (March 2023, Kane Miller), $14.99, ISBN: 9781684645145
Ages 3-6
A young girl named Clementine and her mother have a lovely friend named George, who also happens to be a bear. He’s “no ordinary bear”, as Clark states: he loves to read and spend time with Clementine and her mother, sitting in their garden or helping around the house. When George ventures out on his own to visit the library, though, he learns that not all people are like his two friends at home. Terrified of a bear wandering their streets, they react… well, kind of how you’d expect. George’s feelings are hurt; he’s humiliated, and bursts into tears, but Clementine comes to the rescue and gives the crowd a lesson in kindness. A sweet way to start off the new school year, readers will be reminded not to make judgements based on appearances and predetermined ideas; when someone’s feelings are hurt, the best way to react is to show empathy and care. Expressive illustrations will pull at heartstrings. Clementine and her mother present as white, and there is some diversity in the crowd as George explores the town. Originally published in Great Britain in 2022, Bears Don’t Cry is available in the U.S.
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