The Bear in My Family

"I live with a bear," says the narrator, a boy in a yellow sweater. Said bear, who is big and blue and sleeps in the next room over, is a piece of work: loud, bossy, a food-swiper ("Too slow!" blurts the bear, grabbing some of the boy's breakfast), and a noogie-giver. The boy's parents will hear nothing of the bear's boorishness: "For some reason, my parents think the bear is family." But when bullies at the park target the boy, having a bear in the family suddenly comes in handy. "ROOAARR!" says the bear, and the bullies scurry away. Maybe the bear is kind of like having... a big sister? Debut author Tatsukawa puts a fresh spin on a familiar story of sibling estrangement and rapprochement, with a precocious, comically plaintive protagonist and naïf digital images that have the look of textured paper. The bear, while made of simple shapes with minimal detail, puts off a totemic sense of authority and a preadolescent insouciance-- a powerful combination that any younger sibling should instantly recognize. Ages 4-8. (Mar.)

PreS-K—"I live with a bear" states the book's unnamed human boy. As he describes it, this is one scary bear, with a loud roar, fierce appetite, and bossy attitude. Family or not, his parents just don't understand. After some further reflection and an interaction with a few neighborhood bullies, the boy sees the benefits of having a bear-ish older sibling. Tatsukawa's tale features endearing artwork. Sentences and a handful of dialogue balloons are brief, leaving most of the room for the digitally textured art, which almost looks like stamp work. For a debut title, this picture book is very well paced, and nicely emphasizes how even children at odds can connect. As the boy learns, sometimes they will get on each other's nerves, but they are there for each other; they are family. VERDICT Simple and sweet. A story that should resonate with siblings.—Rachel Forbes, Oakville Public Library, Ont.