Baby Bear's Chairs (Golden Kite Awards)
PreS. Yolen has extended and amended her poem "Bears' Chairs" fromThe Three Bears Rhyme Book(1987) to create the text of this appealing picture book. "Some bears sit / in great big chairs, / great big chairs / for great big bears," it begins. Not only is the sound of the verse satisfying, the tone is also pleasing, with well-chosen words expressing a small child's--OK, a small bear's--point of view. And that tone is reflected in the artwork, too. Fresh and bright, the large-scale pictures combine pencil, paint, and collage elements to illustrate the everyday activities of a likable little bear family at home while including a few fun-to-notice details. As an antidote to the many saccharine picture books composed of sweet, drippy lines repeatedly reaffirming parental affection, this one offers a pleasing story in which love for children--or cubs--is simply an integral part of daily life. A great choice for reading aloud.Carolyn PhelanCopyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved