My son is turning five on Saturday. So last night I drove to my favorite local bookstore, pulled books off the shelf and found a corner to sit in. One of the books that I really enjoyed was Daniel Pinkwater's Bear in Love - illustrated by Will Hillenbrand. The story was charming.
Bear finds a carrot sitting on a rock, picks it up and eats it. The next day, he finds two and the next three. Each day he is so excited about the carrots that he sings a song and wonders about who has left him these carrots. One day, while enjoying honey, Bear decides that he will leave something on the rock for his carrot-leaving friend. Bear tries hard to stay awake at night to see who his friend is but never makes it. He and his friend then proceed to search out the "best" treats possible for each other.
The friendship between Bear and his mystery friend is so charming. Young readers will turn each page in excited anticipation - waiting right alongside Bear to discover the identity of Bear's friend. The illustrations match the tone of the story and are key to making the story so enjoyable. The backgrounds are minimal with light pastel colors drawing the reader to the brighter and larger illustration at the forefront - typically Bear with something for, or from, his friend. This style of illustration focuses in on the core of the story - Bear and his friendship.
This book had me smiling from beginning to end.
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