Bears Don't Read by Emma Chichester Clark
| Bears Don't Read by Emma Chichester Clark | |
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| Category: For Sharing | |
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Reviewer: Zoe Morris
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| Summary: A charming story that shows you don't have to stick with the status quo. If you're a bear who wants to read a book, you jolly well go and read it. | |
| Buy? Yes | Borrow? Yes |
| Pages: 32 | Date: February 2015 |
| Publisher: Harper Collins Children's Books | |
| ISBN: 978-0007425198 | |
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You might think a picture of a bear reading a book, on the cover of a book itself called Bears Don’t Read is confusing, but it quickly becomes clear. George is a bear doing bear things with his friends and family but he’s getting a bit bored of the same old, same old. So when he finds a book some poor human type person has dropped he’s a bit excited. The only thing is, he doesn’t know how to read it, so he can’t release the exciting adventure that’s cooped up inside. With his fellow bears showing little interest in his find, he sets off for the town to try to locate someone who can help.
The thing is…a bear walking into town is quite scary for the locals. The police appear, guns are pulled (they have the right to bear arms, you might say…) and it’s all a bit of a kerfuffle until a little girl called Clementine appears as the voice of reason. Not scared of George, and very much a fan of the written word, she offers to help him learn his ABCs.
I loved this book. It was simple adorable, both the story and the design, and of course I had to approve a message that promotes reading because it’s one of my favourite things. Who cares if your friends don’t agree? George doesn’t care, and I loved him for that. Clementine, too, is a proper little hero, standing up to the silly grown ups and their irrational fears. This is a bear baring a book, for pete’s sake. How scary is that?
There are a few unanswered questions the eagle eyed out there might pick up on, such as whether George ever goes home again, but they’re really not important. Much better is the observation that the at first sceptical police chief turns into and ally and an ally with a secret poetry habit at that.
This book is colourful, fun and friendly, and sends a clear message that you don’t have to listen to people who say things like boys don’t play house or girls don’t climb trees or bears don’t read books. Because they can and they do.
Thanks go to the publishers for supplying this book.
Emma Chichester Clark is a dream for little ones, so do check out our reviews of her other works. We'd also recommend some bear-y good reads such as Little Bear's Little Boat by Eve Bunting and A Very Curious Bear by Tony Mitton and Paul Howard
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You can read more book reviews or buy Bears Don't Read by Emma Chichester Clark at Amazon.co.uk Amazon currently charges £2.99 for standard delivery for orders under £20, over which delivery is free.
You can read more book reviews or buy Bears Don't Read by Emma Chichester Clark at Amazon.com.
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