A tale of two book lovers and one unlikely friendship.
Julia has many friends in the forest by her house. She climbs trees with Scotty the squirrel, plays hide-and-seek with Abigail the groundhog, and has farting contests with Frieda the skunk. Julia dreams of meeting a bear, a bear she could play with and hug. But no bear has ever shown its snout.
One day, inspired by a book she’s reading, Julia brings honey (the perfect bear snack) into the woods. The next day, she tries bringing blueberries. But to her great surprise, it’s not just sweet smells that can attract a bear! So begins a thrilling quest that will bring Julia to new corners of the forest—and of her heart.
Introducing a spunky young heroine with a nose for books, How to Catch a Bear Who Loves to Read invites children to share their love of reading—and of bearnormous hugs—with Julia.

Andrew Katz has been writing and teaching in Montreal for more than fifteen years. After graduating from medical school, he completed his master's in English and Creative writing and began teaching at Dawson College. His areas of specialization include Children’s Literature, and in 2013 he won the Dawson College Director General’s Award for Teaching Excellence. How to Catch a Bear Who Loves to Read is his first children’s book.

Andrew Katz's profile page

Juliana Léveillé-Trudel co-authored with Andrew Katz the first installment of Julia’s adventures, How to Catch a Bear Who Loves to Read (2018). She is also a novelist (Nirliit, La Peuplade, 2015), a playwright, and a founder of the Productions de Brousse. Her work has been translated into English, Spanish, Icelandic, Danish, and Basque. She splits her time between Montreal and the Quebec countryside of her childhood, surrounded by forests, animals, and books.

Juliana Léveillé-Trudel's profile page

Lauréat du prix Gemini, Joseph Sherman est un concepteur, réalisateur et designer d'animation. Il a travaillé sur de nombreuses séries télévisées pour enfants, parmi lesquelles on peut citer Hotel Transylvania: The Series, Esme and Roy pour Sesame Productions et Alma's Way pour Fred Rodgers. Il a également illustré des albums pour enfants, dont Comment attraper un ours qui aime lire et Voyage de nuit à la bibli.

Joseph Sherman's profile page

KIRKUS REVIEW

A young girl greatly wants to befriend a bear; she just needs to find one first.

Julia, a tot with a messy brown ponytail and one slouchy sock, loves to play outside. A ruddy (white) complexion and a bandaged knee confirm her nature-loving ways. While outdoors, she plays with many animal friends: hide-and-seek with Abigail the groundhog, tree-climbing with Scotty the squirrel, and, appropriately, farting contests with Frieda the skunk. But what Julia longs to do is play with a bear. A book that she is reading mentions a bear’s favorite snack: honey. She gets a large, sticky pot full of the treat and waits. But it attracts only Scotty. So then she tries a basket of blueberries. After returning from lunch, she finds large, blue paw prints and her book missing! This ursine-loving gal just may have found someone to have a “bearnormous” picnic with—and a reading buddy as well. A palette of greens and browns, with bright pops of yellow, freshens the somewhat pedestrian illustrations (although the bear’s cozy treetop library is quite enviable, and his spectacles are a nice touch).

A how-to manual in which a love of reading shines. (Picture book. 4-7)

Kirkus Reviews