Humphrey's bear by Jan Wahl illustrated by William Joyce

As I read A boy and a bear in a boat I thought about Humphrey's bear.  There are links between these two books even though Humphrey's bear is aimed at a much younger audience.

This book also links with Sleep well, Little Bear.  Each evening when Humphrey goes to bed his bear takes him on wonderful adventures.  "As soon as Humphrey was asleep the bear grew big, as it always did, and took him by the hand. .. they sailed right out of the backyard."  They sail along whooshed by a nice wind and bear makes a cup of hot chocolate.  This reminds me of the hot chocolate in The Polar Express - thick and rich like melted chocolate bars.  Just as in Where the wild things are, Humphrey sails to a small island where "Humphrey found bear,and the moon outside and the hot chocolate inside warmed them."

As Humphrey heads off to bed right at the beginning of this book he over hears his father comment that Humphrey is surely too old to need this bear.  The last pages of this tender story will warm your heart.