Through the Looking Glass Children's Book Reviews
Bear in the Air
Illustrator: Amy June Bates
Picture Book
For ages 4 to 6
Abrams, 2010 ISBN: 978-0810983984
Mother is taking Baby for a ride in his stroller along the beach. When the stroller bounces over a little red crab, Bear is “bounced” out of the stroller and onto the boardwalk. Baby is naturally distraught, and Mother looks for Bear, but she cannot find him and she continues her walk down the boardwalk. Unfortunately, for Bear, a dog finds him and carries him onto the beach, where he leaves the toy to be carried off by a wave. A sailor in his boat sees Bear “barely afloat” and he tries to rescue him, but his efforts come to naught, and Bear is carried down, down, down into the “deep ocean” by a playful seal.
Any child who has lost a much loved toy will appreciate this picture book with its engaging rhyming text and its luscious pencil and watercolor illustrations. It is interesting to see how many adventures the bear has, and how, in the end, the bear ends up where he belongs.
