The Bear Who Couldn't Sleep by Caroline Nastro illustrated by Vanya Nastanlieva

It has been many years since I have been a children's book buyer but I am lucky enough to still be friends with some of my old sales reps.  Just a few weeks ago I started a new dream job at the Metropolitan Museum of Art.  One of my sales rep friends realized that a book she is selling was having it's book launch right across the street from The Met.  She very nicely invited me to come.  I was thrilled to go especially after I looked the book up and thought it was really cute.

I went and had a wonderful time... the author Caroline Nastro was so sweet and lovely.

The Bear who Couldn't Sleep by Caroline Nastro and illustrated by Vanya Nastanlieva is a sweet book about a little bear who goes on an adventure instead of hibernating with his family.  His adventure takes him to the "big city" of New York.  All the iconic sights are there....the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, Times Square and even my new place of employment---The Met.  In the end the "city that never sleeps" is too much for this sweet little bear....and well you get the picture.  The story is a great bedtime story with wonderful illustrations.  This is also a perfect way to introduce NYC to the youngest among us....
It is also a wonderful story time book---I can see it being read at a pajama party too....

Here is a photo of the author, Caroline Nastro (on the left) and my friend Heather at the book launch....

Autumn Visitors by Karel Hayes

I was in my favorite bookstore recently and noticed this really sweet book about Autumn. I had not seen it before nor did I know that it was the fourth and final book in a series of books about the cutest bear family.

Autumn Visitors by Karel Hayes is the perfect book for the season. It has wonderful illustrations that show a family of bears and the fun they get into during the fall season.  It is such a sweet read aloud that can be read every night from October and Halloween until Thanksgiving.  I love the way the sparse text is enhanced by the rich and colorful illustrations. There is something new to discover in every reading.  This is the perfect book for a classroom story time or a one on one bedtime read...a must have new book to be read every year during the fall.

I think all the books deserve a place on a child's bookshelf.....going back and reading  the first three I really loved The Winter Visitors too....this has the Bear family taking over a vacation cottage when the owners leave....few words again but rich and expansive illustrations....a cosy book to read by the fire!

Goldilocks and Just One Bear by Leigh Hodgkinson

Who doesn't like sequels?   Sometimes sequels are not as good as the original but sometimes they can be a pleasant surprise as in today's book:

  

Goldilocks and the Just One Bear written and illustrated by Leigh Hodkinson is a sequel that totally surprised me.   I have mentioned before and will probably mention again that I love fractured fairy tales.    This takes that idea to a new level.  When I saw this book in the library I was intrigued by the title and the cover art.   I knew it was going to be a "new" version of the fairy tale Goldilocks and the Three Bears.  As I was reading it I realized it wasn't just a new version but the story of what happened to Goldilocks when she grew up. I also recognized the illustrations as being similar to  the Boris books I like so much and was to discover it is the same author. I love the expression's on the bear's face--priceless.  This is a really fun story to read aloud.   I think this is the perfect story time book or bedtime book.   It is the kind of book that is just read straight through but discussed as it is read.   I like all the comparisons to the original fairy tale and the little twist at the end.   Not a surprising twist but one a child would understand.   It really is a clever book.   A must have for the classroom or child's library.