Tag: Polly Dunbar

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Another post about Bears…

Posted on by Rosemary Kiladitis

(It’s a joke, based on one of the book’s titles. Keep reading.)

Who loves bears? We love bears! Teddy bears, polar bears, brown bears brown bears, bears are children’s book gold. I’ve got three books about bears to crow about today, so let’s start with the inspiration for this post’s title.

Another book about bears., by Laura & Philip Bunting, (Jan. 2020, Kane Miller), $14.99, ISBN: 978-1-68464-084-3

Ages 3-7

I love a story that breaks the fourth wall! Have you ever thought about how many books there are about bears? Did you ever consider that every time a bear stars in a story, that bear may have been in the middle of something “really good – like sleeping, or snoozing, or napping”? Well, the bears have had it and are going on strike! This hilarious book is all about one bear’s fight for justice. The omniscient narrator tries their best to nudge the bear into compliance in a silly series of moments like dressing it up in a tutu or suggesting the bear kiss a frog, but Bear stands firm, even calling up other animals to serve as a proper stand in. Kids will laugh out loud at the deadpan humor, and the ultimate solution that works for everyone is priceless. Originally published in Australia in 2018, Another book about bears is storytime hilarity just waiting to be revealed.

Visit Philip Bunting’s webpage for free, fun downloadables for kids, too!

 

A Polar Bear in the Snow, by Mac Barnett/Illustrated by Shawn Harris, (Oct. 2020, Candlewick Press), $17.99, ISBN: 9781536203967

Ages 3-6

Gorgeous cut paper and ink artwork presents a polar bear’s meandering through a brilliant white world and a deep blue sea. A polar bear wakes up in the snow and begins walking… but where is he going? What does he want? Award-winning author and illustrator Mac Barnett builds curiosity and excitement as readers follow the bear past seals, through a storm, and as he rebuffs a human in a very polar bearlike fashion, to end up at his destination. Shawn Harris’s illustrations give such texture and motion, layering shades of white upon white and blue upon blue, giving us a feeling of purpose and joy. Simple sentences and facts about polar bears (he clearly eats seals, but he’s not hungry right now; his coat protects him from the snowstorm; he likes to swim) are a wonderful introduction to young readers about the natural science of bears and the Arctic. A final question leaves much open to discussion. There’s so much presented in this book, so beautifully, and respects its youngest readers in its presentation. Teacher Tips are downloadable from Candlewick’s website.

A Polar Bear in the Snow has starred reviews from Kirkus, School Library Journal, Booklist, and Publishers Weekly.

 

Can Bears Ski?, by Raymond Antrobus/Illustrated by Polly Dunbar, (Nov. 2020, Candlewick Press), $16.99, ISBN: 9781536212662

Ages 3-7

Little Bear can feel the world around him – all its rumbles and shakes, trembles and wobbles – but hearing his world is a little more difficult. He doesn’t hear things clearly, and thinks he hears everyone asking him, “Do bears ski?” Dad takes him to an audiologist one day, and is fitted for hearing aids that make his world way too LOUD. He resists them at first, hiding them around the house, but with his dad’s love and support, he understands that it’s just something new to get used to – and he also learns that everyone has been asking him not whether or not bears can ski, but “Can you hear me?” A touching story about self-discovery, Can Bears Ski? is essential for bookshelves and can start many conversations with children. Author Raymond Antrobus is a Ted Hughes award-winning deaf poet and teacher who wrote Can Bears Ski because “It’s the book I could see myself reaching for as a child, and I can’t wait to have it exist in the world.” Colorful ink and paint artwork made this a gentle, comforting story about a big topic. The CDC’s Kids Quest webpage has helpful facts for kids on hearing loss.

Posted in picture books, Preschool Reads

While We Can’t Hug explains the now normal to kids

Posted on by Rosemary Kiladitis

While We Can’t Hug, by by Eoin McLaughlin/Illustrated by Polly Dunbar, (Aug. 2020, Faber & Faber USA), $15.95, ISBN: 978-0571365586

Ages 3-7

Last year, Hedgehog and Tortoise became best friends in The Hug. This year, social distancing has hit them, too, but they’re finding ways to work around it in While We Can’t Hug. For the book’s duration, Hedgehog is on the left side, and Tortoise on the right; they’re sad that they miss each other but can’t hug, until Owl swoops in and tells them that there are many other ways to show love and affection. The two friends tentatively give it a shot, first, by waving, then by making funny faces. Inspired, the two write letters, blow kisses, dance, and paint pictures together, simply enjoying the other’s company. Author Eoin McLaughlin eloquently uses brief text to communicate the many ways to show others we love them while hugging isn’t an option. Polly Dunbar’s warm artwork uses comforting colors and soft shading to make each reader feel like they’re included in Hedgehog’s and Tortoise’s circle of friends.

For little ones who are having a difficult time not seeing friends and family, or seeing them and not being able to run and hug them, books like this are vital in explaining that love is still there, even when touch isn’t an option. Polly Dunbar provides the most important observation as Hedgehog and Tortoise share love across the book’s pages: “They could not touch. They could not hug. But they both knew that they were loved”. And that’s the message to take to heart.

Posted in picture books, Preschool Reads, Toddler Reads

Red Red Red helps during meltdown time

Posted on by Rosemary Kiladitis

Red Red Red, by Polly Dunbar, (March 2020, Kane Miller), @14.99, ISBN: 9781684640263

Ages 2-4

Originally published in the UK in 2019, Red Red Red is a rhyming story about a toddler on the verge of a meltdown when a mission to reach a highly-placed biscuit (we call ’em cookies on this side of the pond) and falls down, getting hurt. If you know toddlers like I know toddlers, you know that the meltdown is mighty. In this case, the little one is hurt and still has no biscuit to show for the pain. This is cause for an apocalyptic-level meltdown, and we see it unfolding, spread by spread. Mom asks if the little one’s okay, leading to blame (“Yes! I had a bump. / It made my cry. / The biscuit jar / war up too high!”); dismay (“My socks are down. / My pants are twisted. / I want… / I want… / I WANT / A BISCUIT!”); and ultimately, the tantrum. The toddler rails against the cursed cookie jar, roars, and thumps their head on the floor. This kid is SEEING RED. Luckily, Mom is there to save the day, and provides some calming wisdom; she acknowledges her child to stop engaging in self-destructive behavior and encourages them to count to 10. The panels illustrate each number with an angry red scribble as the little one counts their way to solace; the fonts become less black and bold, more gray, almost ethereal, and the angry red scribbles lessen, becoming little sprinkles as the little one learns to self-comfort and goes from rage to relaxed. Mom and little one do some deep breathing, the little one gets that cookie, and all is well once again.

Red Red Red wonderfully depicts a meltdown from beginning to end, with a positive workaround that parents and caregivers can put into action. The toddler depicted is genderless, making them accessible to any reader, and the illustrations are boldly outlined with light, pastel colors, really letting that angry red blast off the page and make a statement. Even the endpapers get into the story, with angry red scribbles greeting readers as they open the book; as the book concludes, tantrum over, the back endpapers show childlike drawings of red hearts strung across the pages.

A very helpful book to have on hand (we adults need to remember this stuff, too) for parents, educators, and caregivers. We get frustrated, too, and seeing this mom keep her cool as she comforts and guides her little one through a tantrum is a helpful reminder that two people getting mad leads nowhere. Display this one with book like Zachariah Ohora’s No Fits, Nilson!; two of my favorites are still Mo Willems’ Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus! andHow Do Dinosaurs Say Good Night? by Jane Yolen.

Posted in picture books, Preschool Reads

Eoin McLaughlin and Polly Dunbar know the power of The Hug

Posted on by Rosemary Kiladitis

The Hug, by Eoin McLaughlin/Illustrated by Polly Dunbar, (April 2019, Faber & Faber), $15.95, ISBN: 9780571348756

Ages 3-6

A sad hedgehog just wants a hug to help feel better, but every animal he comes across seems to find an excuse to run away. A tortoise also wants a hug to boost its spirits, but the animals all have other things to do, too. A wise owl tells the hedgehog that he’s a bit spiky to hug, and the tortoise’s shell is a bit hard, but “there’s someone for everyone”. And when the hedgehog and tortoise meet, they share a hug that will warm the insides of every reader in the room. The Hug is an adorable flipbook with short, easy-to-read sentences about the power of a hug. Read Hedgehog’s story, then flip the book and read Tortoise’s; they meet in the middle, in a hug that makes the two friends, and their readers, “as happy as a hug can make you… as happy as two someones can be”.

The artwork is simple and sweet, set against a plain ivory background. When the two characters hug, the joy on their faces is matched only by the swirls of color, stars, and flower petals surrounding them. It’s a sweet story that is perfect for storytime, perfect for cuddletime, wonderful for any time. I read this in a recent storytime and the kids and parents alike loved the leadup to the hug and the flip from one story to the next. A sweet story that reminds readers that there’s always someone out there to hug, no matter how prickly or how tough you may think you’re feeling.