No Bears
A little girl named Ella regales children with what she believes a good story should—and shouldn’t—include: royalty, humor, a few well-placed frights, but absolutely no bears. As her make-believe effort unfolds, those paying attention to the illustrations will see that things aren’t going as Ella would have us hear. Indeed, there is a bear: a large and kindly one who adds water so the owl and the pussycat can set sail, literally pulls the strings on the monster’s boots, and even ends up rescuing the fairy godmother. Ella, of course, refuses to acknowledge the bear’s presence en route to her story’s happily ever after. Ella is a delightful and creative mirror for any imaginative child, and the bear is that good parent who doesn’t require recognition, even as she plays an important role in the visual story. Rudge’s busily patterned watercolor pages, comic proportions, and clever details—the billiard-ball-round king’s head; Ella’s own instructions for making a paper crown; the post-rescue party, featuring pigs in tutus and gingerbread men—invite much exploration. Grades K-2. --Francisca Goldsmith