  | Full Text Reviews: Booklist - 01/01/2016 *Starred Review* Hoping to retrieve her kite, a girl with frizzy red hair reaches into sleeping Bear’s cave just as he rolls over, inadvertently crushing it beneath him. “Horrible Bear!” she shrieks and then stomps home to scribble, kick, and (accidentally) rip the ear off her stuffed bunny. Meanwhile, Bear is indignant over being so rudely awakened, and he is bent on revenge. He practices barging and making a ruckus, eventually stomping down the mountain to the girl’s house, rawr-ing all the way. When the two meet, however, the girl (who now realizes accidents just happen) immediately apologizes, draining all the horrible out of Bear. He becomes Sweet Bear, dedicated to patching up toys and friendships. The creators of Wolfie the Bunny (2015) explore the common childhood experiences of accidents and misunderstandings with sensitivity and humor. Like many preschoolers, the little girl explodes in an instant when her kite gets broken, but she also calms herself quickly once she understands Bear’s perspective. OHora makes good use of bright acrylics, boldly styled characters, and limited backgrounds to keep young listeners focused on the story. Those familiar with Wolfie will also appreciate the close resemblance of the toy bunny to Wolfie’s sister, Dot. A perfectly over-the-top look at tantrums, friendship, and forgiveness that is sure to resonate with preschoolers and parents alike. - Copyright 2016 Booklist. School Library Journal - 01/01/2016 PreS-Gr 2—In the mind of a child, mistakes are often misinterpreted as malfeasance, and the resultant anger can be contagious. Dyckman writes a simple story about just such a mistake. A little girl loses her kite in a bear's den, and when he rolls over in his sleep, he crushes it and becomes a HORRIBLE BEAR! Though the little girl seems to have some strategies to deal with anger (reading, painting, talking it out), it isn't until she mistakenly tears her own stuffed animal's ear that she gets some clarity about what really happened in that cave, and in her heart. Meanwhile, the bear is trying out his own righteous anger, charging to the little girl's house for a stand-off. A simple "I'm sorry" turns horrible into sweet. In reality, such spontaneous forgiveness and acceptance are rare, but cutting to the chase does readers no harm here. OHora's acrylic paint on paper illustrations are vivid and childlike. Thick black lines miraculously convey a range of emotions, and the girl's pile of bright red hair with black curlicues serves as a metaphor for both her anger and her exuberance. Molly Bang's Sophie finally has a worthy shelf-mate for absolutely spot-on characterizations of mood. VERDICT Highly recommended for picture book collections.—Lisa Lehmuller, Paul Cuffee Maritime Charter School, Providence, RI - Copyright 2016 Publishers Weekly, Library Journal and/or School Library Journal used with permission. Loading...
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