Bear Came Along by Richard T Morris illustrated by LeUyen Pham

This story says: Take a chance. Hop on board. Work together. Trust each other. 

Share the adventure! Author note from Richard T Morris

Illustrator note: "While painting this book I spent a lot of time thinking about why people become divided from one another and forget that they all live on the same earth. It takes a small thing, like animals in a forest falling into a river, to realise this. We sink or swim together. And sometime we take a tumble and things turn out all right."

Publisher blurb: Once there was a river flowing through a forest. The river didn't know it was capable of adventures until a big bear came along. But adventures aren't any fun by yourself, and so enters Froggy, Turtles, Beaver, Racoons, and Duck.  These very different animals take off downstream, but they didn't know they needed one another until thankfully, the river came along. This hilarious picture book and heartfelt message celebrates the joy and fun that's in store when you embark together on a ride of a lifetime.

This book begs to be read aloud to very young children who I am sure will join in with the repeated buzz word "until". Then you could read this book at a different time to a group of older students who might like to discuss difference and inclusion. Here are some teaching ideas. 

A succession of forest creatures—and even the river itself—learn from one another and validate their relationships with both one another and the wider world. ... There are several hilarious double-page spreads, including one from the animals’ collective perspective, showing solely the various feet on the tree-trunk–cum-raft at the waterfall’s edge, and one requiring a 90-degree turn, showing the plummeting animals as they reach for one another—some looking worried and others, like Duck and Beaver, obviously enjoying the sudden drop. To quote one particularly joyous double-page spread, “Oh, what a ride!” Kirkus Star review

LeUyen Pham is the illustrator of the Princess in Black children's book series. she was awarded a Caldecott Honor for her illustrations in the book Bear Came Along. Here is a video of LeUyen Pham reading Bear Came Along. AND she begins by sharing her wonderful end papers! 

I previously talked about this book:

The Bear who wasn't there