View source for Little Bear's Little Boat by Eve Bunting

{{infobox2
|title=Little Bear's Little Boat
|author=Eve Bunting
|reviewer=Keith Dudhnath
|genre=For Sharing
|summary=A wonderfully sweet tale of a bear who outgrows his beloved boat. It's perfect for summery reading with the very young. Highly recommended.
|rating=4.5
|buy=Yes
|borrow=Yes
|pages=32
|publisher=Bloomsbury Publishing
|date=July 2009
|isbn=978-0747577584
|aznuk=0747577587
|aznus=0747577587
|cover=0747577587
}}

Little Bear loves his little boat. He loves floating in it, fishing, and just being happy existing. It's a peaceful, soothing, gentle life. As Little Bear gets bigger, he no longer fits in his boat, and he doesn't know what to do.

What a sweet book! It's such a simple story, but it's so relaxing, gentle and loving that you'll be hooked right from the off. It's a beautiful tale to read with the very youngest book fans, regardless of whether they're worried about outgrowing their metaphorical boats or not. Who wouldn't want to float on Huckleberry Lake with Little Bear? There are touching messages too: of accepting change, of moving through life, of sharing, and of finding ways to make the best of your lot. None of the messages are hammered home, but like the best books (for children or adults) they seep into the readers.

Nancy Carpenter's illustrations suit the story perfectly. They strike the right blend of realistic and cartoon-y. Everything's minimal, but packed with emotion. They're reminiscent of old-school pen and ink drawings from musty old hardback books, which'll conjour up memories for adult readers at least. There's something particularly touching about the picture of Little Bear dipping his toes in the water and sadly splashing as he doesn't know what to do about his boat. Every child will immediately fall in love with Little Bear and wish he could be their friend.

Although there's a little more text than in most picture books for this age group, the vocabulary is perfectly apt. It's accessible for the very youngest children, but there's still enough depth for their slightly older siblings to enjoy as it's read aloud at bedtime. Highly recommended.

My thanks to the publishers for sending it to Bookbag.

If bears tickle your fancy, you'll love [[A Very Curious Bear by Tony Mitton and Paul Howard]]. If it's sweetness you want, without being saccharine, then look no further than [[Little Beauty by Anthony Browne]]. 

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[[Category:Nancy Carpenter]]