46. Bears are Best

Bears are Best: The Scoop About How We Sniff, Sneak, Snack, and Snooze. Joan Holub. Illustrated by Laurie Keller. 2023. 48 pages. [Source: Library]

First sentence: Grrrreetings! My name is Brown Bear. I am the only bear in this book. [You are not]. 

This is a nonfiction picture book about BEARS (plural). It isn't your typical nonfiction picture book, however. It is written in a conversational--playful--narrative. The [many] bears of the book are having quite the dialogue--all in speech bubbles. All the information about each bear--what makes them similar or dissimilar to the others--is revealed through conversation. The conversation isn't dry and info-dumpy. Not really. There's plenty to keep it light and flowing--a bit silly.

I liked this one. It does have more text than you might expect based on the cover. I do think this one could easily be mistaken for just another picture book starring bears. It doesn't scream out "I'm nonfiction!" Because it is so text-heavy, I do think it would be a good fit for most elementary grades--especially second and third grade.

 

© 2024 Becky Laney of Young Readers