Review by School Library Journal Review
PreS-When night falls, the sweet and curious black bear cub and his mother go looking for food. Mama hunts and Baby Bear explores. "'Where, oh where, is Baby Bear?' calls Mama." Readers won't worry, because Wolff has hidden Baby Bear in the spread for them to find. "Here I am, Mama," he replies each time. The sky subtly darkens as they make their way through their world, each page featuring creatures that share the habitat with the bear family: the placid owl, a faun, raccoons, and otters. Here too are the mushrooms, ferns, and cattails of a woodland life, providing young viewers with a window into nature. The scope of their adventure is recalled at the end of the story, as Wolff shows the pair making their way back through the meadow, around the pond, across the river, between the birch trees, down the cliff, and into their den. The ending is predictable but comforting-Baby Bear asking, "Where, oh where, is Mama Bear" and her retort "Here I am, right beside you." Wolff uses linoleum block images printed on paper in black, which she then hand-watercolors. The juxtaposition of hard black printed lines with the subtle colors of nature at night are a perfect match to the narrative. The act of reading the book with an adult mirrors its theme-the balance of independence and nurture. This iteration of Baby Bear's adventures will find success as a lap-sit or story time at home or in a library. VERDICT This title is a winner-vivid illustrations, a narrative that begs for call and response, elements of seek-and-find, and an introduction to woodland nature. A must-have for all collections.-Lisa Lehmuller, Paul Cuffee Maritime Charter School, Providence © Copyright 2017. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Horn Book Review
In this third picture book featuring the little black bear cub (Baby Bear Sees Blue, rev. 3/12; Baby Bear Counts One, rev. 9/13), Baby Bear and his mama take an evening walk through the meadow and the woods, ostensibly to gather food--but Baby Bear turns it into a game of hide-and-seek. Every time Mama Bear turns around, Baby Bear is nowhere in sight. But in response to Mamas call--Where, oh where, is Baby Bear?--Baby Bear always answers; and his answers always include a prepositional phrase. He is inside a log, or behind a waterfall, or between cattails, or on top of a boulder. After the nights adventures, the pair heads back home. A playful and loving circular ending finds Baby Bear momentarily unable to find his mother, and now its his turn to ask, Where, oh where, is Mama Bear? Because this is a picture book for the very young, Wolff doesnt leave readers in suspense: Mama is right behind Baby Bear, and she immediately assures him of her presence with words and a warm embrace. This installment contains all the hallmarks of the series: Baby Bears inquisitive nature; the closeness between mother and cub; the exploratory adventure; the repetition in the language and the plot; the evocative hand-colored linoleum block prints. As always, Wolffs illustrations enticingly depict the natural world while keeping the focus on Baby Bear and his experiences. A quiet and satisfying bedtime/concept book. martha v. parravano (c) Copyright 2017. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Kirkus Book Review
Mama and Baby Bear are back, enjoying a summer evening of foraging enlivened by an enthusiastic game of hide-and-seek. As they watch bats fly from their den, Baby Bear asks Mama where they go. "They are going to look for food," she replies, and the pair sets off to do likewise. On successive spreads, Mama "sniffs the warm night air" and eats berries, catches a trout, drinks water, and munches dandelions, all the while playing the familiar game. Whenever "she looks around, / Baby Bear is nowhere in sight. / Where, oh where, is Baby Bear?' calls Mama." Wolff hides Baby Bear in plain sight for children to spy. Each time he reveals himself, the cub identifies both an element of his woodland habitat and an English preposition to learn about. "Here I am, Mama. / Inside the mossy log." He also hides "up" in a birch tree, "behind" a waterfall, "between" some cattails, and "on top of" a boulder, silhouetted against the rising full moon. Mama's gentle indulgence of her cub's miniexplorations exemplifies confident parenting. With her firm "Come along now, Baby Bear," the two retrace the evening's feeding (and hiding) spots. (Wolff adds some fresh prepositions, too.) Wolff fully masters her medialinoleum prints luminously enhanced with watercolor. Children will pore over these pages, identifying creatures of woodland and meadow. Twilit enchantment. (Picture book. 2-5) Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
