Five Bears: A friendship tale by Catherine Rayner

"All the bears looked at each other.

All the bears thought for a while.

All the bears felt happier than they had in a long time.

Then they all spoke at once. 

Because actually, it was simple ...

'We all just like each other!'"

Here is another book that has just popped up and it utterly surprised and delighted me. This is one of those books you could share with very very young children and equally with much older readers where I am sure their discussion would touch on very deep themes such as:

• how are friendships formed?
• is there a 'right' way to react to offers of friendship?
• how can you diffuse anger if a greeting receives a hostile response?
• what does acceptance of others and acceptance of difference mean?
• can you link this book with human relationships, tolerance, race relations?
• what should you do if an offer of help is refused?
• are there tiny things you might do to alleviate the loneliness of others?
• has this book shown you anything about the way teamwork works?
• why is is significant that the "stuck" bear is a polar bear?

Here is the blurb: Bear is walking through the forest, minding his own business when he comes across another bear. The Other bear is different. The two bears wander along, thinking different thoughts, and looking in different directions. Soon the two bears come across another bear and then another bear and eventually find a bear stuck in a tree. The bears realise that perhaps they aren't that different after all and perhaps they could be friends?

This is a large format, hardcover book with an affordable price so I highly recommend you add it to your library shopping list. 

It is my dream that this book helps to make a difference to our future generations' attitude toward helping 'stuck bears' all over the world. Catherine Rayner

Picture books have a great deal to offer to young readers from exciting stories of derring do to direct instruction and, as here, reflective texts that through the perfect marriage of image and word allows the audience to make a connection from the imaginative to reality. Excellent. Books for Keeps

I do adore art by Catherine Rayner - take time to explore her wonderful web pages.