Love Is in the Bear
- Publisher
- Owlkids Books Inc.
- Initial publish date
- Oct 2023
- Category
- Friendship, Music, Birds, Bears
- Recommended Age
- 4 to 7
- Recommended Grade
- 2 to 12
-
Hardback
- ISBN
- 9781771475891
- Publish Date
- Oct 2023
- List Price
- $21.95
Classroom Resources
Where to buy it
Description
A perfectly pitched story about a bear, a bird, and a bond forged through music
Spring is here, and Bear is finally emerging from his hollow to greet his forest friends. Suddenly, he hears beautiful singing coming from above. It’s Bird, practicing for the forest Opera! When Bird tells Bear that she’s auditioning for a duet, Bear decides to try out as well, and asks if he can practice with her. Bird agrees, and as the pair rehearses their song, an unlikely friendship begins.
After the audition, Bird is cast in the opera—but Bear is not. Devastated, Bear returns to his hollow to hide. Bird comes to comfort him and insists that the pair are still a duet, with or without a stage to sing on. Reassured of their close bond, Bear celebrates Bird’s success at the Opera, getting the best seat in the house and quietly singing along with his friend.
This tender celebration of loyalty, friendship, and song is brought to life with Judith Henderson’s lyrical text and the soft, magical illustrations of Nahid Kazemi. Together, Bird and Bear face the music and find that the strongest connections can weather the most difficult disappointments with empathy, resilience, and mutual support.
About the authors
Judith Henderson does a lot of stuff. She is an author, an Emmy Award-winning composer, and wrote the theme song for the PBS show, Arthur. She is a TV producer, and she also illustrates. Judith's three-book series Big Words Small Stories is now airing as an animated series. Her other books include Dee and Apostrofee, AAAlligator! and This Is a Dog Book! Judith has several new books which will be published in 2023 and2024, including Willa and Wade the series and Lion on the Inside. Judith lives in Montreal, Quebec.
Judith Henderson's profile page
NAHID KAZEMIis an artist, illustrator and graphic designer with a master’s degree in painting from Tehran’s University of Art. She has published more than sixty children’s books and has received awards for her illustrations in Iran as well as nominations for the Governor General’s Award and the 2020 Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award. Her recent publications include I’m Glad That You’re Happy, which she wrote and illustrated, and Over the Rooftops, Under the Moon by JonArno Lawson. She has also taught art and has exhibited her work in Iran, France, Italy, the UK, Lebanon and Serbia. Nahid lives in Montreal.
Awards
- Short-listed, Marilyn Baillie Picture Book Award
Editorial Reviews
"A sweet and attractive story with a compassionate message about friendship that will bring a smile to the faces of children."
Canadian Review of Materials
"Enhanced with gently humorous moments and details about the natural world’s seasonal changes, this tender tale celebrates the sweet allure of shared song spinning into an unexpected but abiding friendship."
Booklist
"Kazemi’s ethereal forest, full of smudged trees and floating dandelion wisps, enhances the sentimental atmosphere of these sweet soul mates ... Elevates standard hibernation fare to a new level."
Kirkus Reviews
"A visual feast, this book is a dreamy ode to love and friendship."
School Library Journal
