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Children's books are only as good as their vocabulary, story, rhythm, rhyme, and illustrations. That is it in a nutshell, and Grandma Krazy gets it. In this whimsical story, a child imagines, and reports to Mom, about a group of bears meeting outside the window. Meanwhile, Mom is distracted by her work on the computer screen. One can only guess where that unbridled imagination is headed. It is a fun story. The illustrations are printed in bright colors and bold tones, and all of the characters look lively, like critters kids want to imagine knowing. The story is adorable and has an upbeat meter and rhyme, too. Beyond these qualities, the author intentionally, yet slyly, adds in spelling and vocabulary lessons. For example, the author includes, ". . . there's a bare, bear over there. . . . He looks very debonair." Notice the contraction slipped in, as well. This one sentence is a rich lesson by itself.
This is an excellent first or second grade to read aloud. And at home, it subtly calls out all parents to stay engaged with their children. "Hey Mom, there's a bear over there. . . . He's walking a mare carrying dinnerware." And mom keeps repeating, " Uh-huhhhh" or something equally distracted and noncommittal. We, as parents or teachers, have all done it. The book reminds us to stay engaged and also to take joy in kids' imaginations. A seven-year-old can practice reading this book, and because of the rhyming structure will be successful a bit more quickly than with non-rhyming books of a similar level. This tale is the perfect addition to any classroom library or home bookshelf.