Review by Booklist Review
While some people "have a lion inside, or a tiger," the girl narrating this inviting story wears her bear on the outside, protecting her "like armor" wherever they go. They ride a bike, paint pictures, and play together. Although the child's in charge of their activities, their relationship is balanced: "I take care / of Bear, / and Bear / takes care of me." They share one plate at the dinner table. Later, Mom tucks them into bed, reads them a story, and leaves the night-light on. "Not for me. / I don't care. / I like the dark. / It's for Bear." Yolen's gracefully worded, sometimes rhyming text presents a sensible girl whose gentle, ursine protector helps her overcome shyness and act more bravely than she would on her own. In Corace's precisely drawn and beautifully painted gouache, ink, and graphite artwork, the child is almost always depicted within the gentle bear's much larger, semi-transparent form. A creative interpretation of the imaginary friend theme, this original picture book respects both its characters and its audience.
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
Yolen (the How Do Dinosaurs series) captures the essence of inner strength in this sensitive portrayal of a girl and the bear who always accompanies her. "I wear my bear on the outside./ It's like wearing a suit of armor," begins the self-assured protagonist. Encased in the large form of her furry partner, the white-skinned girl--clad in shorts and a T-shirt and sporting a bandaged knee--recounts all the ways that Bear supports her. Faced with a group of jeering bullies, the pair nonchalantly walks away. At school, Bear raises a paw in response to a teacher's question. And in a cheery grocery scene, Bear's paws cover the girl's hands as the pair gleefully ride on the cart. The duo doesn't always agree; Bear likes blue and the girl likes red ("Sometimes we make/ purple instead"). Whatever the situation, though, Bear is there, helping the girl to manage her anxieties. Distinctive gouache, ink, and graphite illustrations by Corace (Small World) balance gentle washlike coloring with careful geometric patterns and shapes. Together, Yolen and Corace offer a sophisticated depiction of a child's relationship with her inner strength. Ages 4--8. (Mar.)
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Review by School Library Journal Review
PreS-Gr 2--A young girl explains how she wears her bear, an imaginary helpmate, outside herself to help her navigate the challenges of the day. She can walk confidently past bullies, answer classroom questions, and succeed at bike-riding and roller-skating. Together she and Bear explore the outdoors and create works of art. Her understanding mother supports the relationship with small gestures such as leaving the night light on for Bear, who is afraid of the dark. The success of this simple story of a child's summoning of inner strength lies in Corace's gouache and line illustrations. The large brown bear encircles and protects the narrator, seamlessly incorporating the girl inside its movements and gestures. While the narrator and her mother are both white, the playground, classroom, and store include people with skin tones from beige to dark brown. VERDICT This low-key story encourages viewers to find inner resources for dealing with ordinary challenges, and could help provide children with a structure for contemplating their own armor.--Kathy Piehl, Minnesota State Univ. Lib., Mankato
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Review by Horn Book Review
In this spare, lyrical picture book, Yolen explores the robust inner life of a child as she learns to navigate her world with the love and support of an ursine alter-ego. "I wear my bear on the outside...like wearing a suit of armor," she says. Bear shields the girl from the slings and arrows of childhood and bolsters her to be brave and take charge in various situations. ("Only not at swimming lessons. That can be dangerous for both of us.") Through sharing, taking care of each other, and exploring life to the fullest, there's no doubt that this child and her bear are going places. Corace's joyfully expressive watercolors portray the loving symbiosis between human and animal. Bear is the only figure that is outlined, albeit loosely, lending a dynamism to her portrayal. Bear is never fierce; she is big, energetic, and cuddly, with pink cheeks and a shy smile. She surrounds her girl, enveloping her like a security blanket, yet letting her shine like the star she is. A warm and winning title about becoming one's own person. Luann Toth May/June 2021 p.128(c) Copyright 2021. 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
A young girl narrates her daily experiences inside a life-size, diligently protective bear. Referring to the inner lions and tigers of others, she avows: "I wear my bear on the outside. / It's like wearing a suit of armor. / She keeps out the howls, / the growls. / She keeps me safe." In school or a treehouse, at the grocery store or on a trampoline, Bear appears to both shield the narrator from harm and eagerly engage in activities. While they don't always agree, their divergences are mild and equable: "When we do art projects, / Bear paints blue. / I use red. / Sometimes we make / purple instead." Yolen's quiet text, seasoned with occasional rhyme, suits this tale of resilience. She gently celebrates how children build their own competencies by adopting imaginary friends and imbuing stuffed toys with their own increasing social-emotional fitness. Corace's illustrations depict Bear as a huge stuffie, claw-free and benign; she seems more enveloping than protective--hardly armorlike. The narrator has pale skin and wears her hair in a black pageboy. Background characters are diverse, but all have identically simple, stylized features: round dots for eyes, D-shaped smiles, and rosy circles on their cheeks. Children are depicted skateboarding, cycling, and roller-skating without helmets--a casual omission that contradicts the theme of safety and well-being. The art doesn't rise to meet the worthy concept. (Picture book. 3-7) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
