Polar Bear's Underwear

When Polar Bear loses his underwear, his friend Mouse offers to help. Briefs-shaped die-cuts reveal different vividly patterned underwear that could belong to Polar Bear. "This pair has treats all over it. It looks delicious! 'Is this your pair, Polar Bear?' " asks Mouse, opposite a page showcasing yellow briefs decorated with cakes, candies, and snacks. Turning each page reveals the underwear's actual owner--in this case, it's Pig, who blissfully chows down on a doughnut in his undies. After a few more tries, Polar Bear discovers that his pair wasn't really lost--just invisible against his white fur (something sharp-eyed readers may have noticed from the outset). Working in collage, Japanese design firm Tupera Tupera uses a variety of textiles and textures create the chunky animal cast (Squid's polka-dot underwear has holes for all 10 of his legs, while Bunny wears her carrot-themed briefs on her head), giving readers many moments to giggle over. Ages 3-5. (Mar.)

Copyright 2015 Publishers Weekly, LLC Used with permission.

PreS--Poor Polar Bear can't find his underwear, and so, with Mouse's help, he walks off in search of his missing undies. In the well-established pattern of "That's Not My..." books, the duo encounter a series of pages with die-cut underpants-shaped windows showing knickers of varying color schemes. Predictably, the undies always belong to some other animal. Each creature's skivvies reflect some characteristic of the owner. Zebra's underwear has colored stripes, Pig's has pictures of doughnuts and French fries, and Butterfly's are covered in flowers. Lively mixed-media collages illustrate the playful text. Young readers will delight in the visual gags; Squid wears a 10-legged pair of panties, and Bunny wears hers on her head. An eight-line song at the end of the book celebrates Polar Bear's underwear and asks readers, "Would you like to wear a pair, too?" VERDICT This silly import from Japan will quickly become a favorite with potty-training tots and fans of underwear humor.--Rachel Anne Mencke, St. Matthew's Parish School, Pacific Palisades, CA

Copyright 2015 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

"'Polar Bear's Underwear' has it all - a guessing game on each page, a twist at the end, and, crucially, abundant opportunities to say underwear." —The Boston Globe