Incredibly fast and not at all fun

A bear who just wants a bit of quiet accidentally comes up with the thrill seeker's favorite ride. Who knew that, as an omniscient narrator puts it, "the world's first roller coaster was invented almost entirely by mistake"? We learn that it was the work of a bear who wanted "a quick and easy way to get from the stillness of home…to the calm of his beehives." The Honey Runner, as Bear dubs his creation--a wooden cart on an elevated track--is faster and steeper than he'd like it to be, but it attracts the attention of an assortment of animals who clamor to ride it. The Honey Runner becomes a sensation, and Bear has no choice but to add more carts to satisfy the curious. The humor in this "different strokes" story stems from Bear's cluelessness regarding his invention's appeal. "Why would anyone want to be jostled around like that?" he wonders. He has a brainstorm: Surely if he builds a steeper slope, riders will be turned off? Bentley gives the bulbous-snouted inventor a hilariously skeptical expression throughout the book's digital art, created with a sun-kissed woodsy palette. The best gag is saved for last: In search of a peaceful life, Bear leaves the Honey Runner behind for a spot beside a waterfall, which readers won't fail to observe would make a fantastic waterslide. (It does.) Wheeeee! A great ride.(Picture book. 4-8) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.