The Bear's Sea Escape

Starred review from July 14, 2014
Chaud reprises the formula of his acclaimed The Bear’s Song with Papa Bear searching high and low for Little Bear, who’s gone astray. After the bears try to hibernate at a busy shopping emporium, Little Bear and a new human friend make their way to a train and a ship, with Papa in pursuit. Readers can search along with him, trying to spot the bears amid the delightful bustle of city streets, crowded beaches, and a multipage conga line. It’s like a wonderfully Gallic cousin to Where’s Waldo?, and don’t think that Chaud doesn’t know it—there’s a familiar-looking fellow in a striped hat and glasses tucked away in a crowded traffic scene. Ages 3–5.

July 15, 2014
Papa Bear is once again in hot pursuit of Little Bear in this visually delectable, seek-and-find sequel to Chaud's award-winning The Bear's Song (2013).It's wintertime, and Papa Bear and his boy cub suddenly realize the snowy rooftop of the Opera Garnier in Paris is no place to hunker down for the winter. The teddy-bear room of an elegant department store seems cozy enough, but while Papa Bear snoozes, a little boy decides to take Little Bear home. (All's fine until he discovers "his new toy bear is more bear and less toy!") When Papa wakes up, the chase begins. The oversize, elaborately detailed, color-saturated artwork effervesces with intriguing stories within stories, and it's up to readers to locate Papa and his cub amid the glorious mayhem, from the city streets to a train to a cruise ship to a tropical island. The chase takes Papa Bear underwater with the whales and into a jungle, where he's swept up in a conga line at a masquerade party! From atop a sumptuous banquet table, Little Bear trumpets his own tune for his beloved Papa Bear...and he is found. This story, first published in France as Coquillages et petit ours (2012), lacks some of the poetic playfulness and polish of the first book, but the charming, lavish artwork and the just-challenging-enough spot-the-bear game more than make up for it.As charming as two bears can be. (Picture book. 2-8)

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Starred review from August 1, 2014

PreS-Gr 2-Just when Papa Bear thinks he can finally take his winter nap, Baby Bear is suddenly snatched away and Papa must embark on a daring chase to recover him. The story picks up where where The Bear's Song (Chronicle, 2013) left off. The journey takes them from bustling Paris to an underwater world and finally to an island paradise. The familiar narrative arc begins with an unexpected mistake, and the excitement continues to build until the end of the chase, where Papa and Baby are reunited in a satisfying conclusion. Although the story feels far-fetched compared to the previous book, its fans will surely love the main attraction here-the enchanting full-page artwork in an oversized format. Chaud's vibrant spreads are full of fanciful details and visual narratives for youngsters to explore. Particularly striking are the views of the underwater world, with realistic reefs and fish rendered in bold, saturated hues and the occasional addition of magical elements, such as mermaids. The author employs a painterly palette of vivid colors that are particularly well produced on high-quality printed pages. Chaud has established a recognizable visual style all his own, yet the wavy motion of the landscape and sketchy quality of the figures call to mind the work of Dr. Seuss. The unobtrusive text below the pictures will serve as an excellent read-aloud for storytime. Overall, the book is engaging, and the artwork makes it even more of a gem.-Tara Kron, School Library Journal

Copyright 2014 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

Starred review from September 1, 2014
Preschool-G *Starred Review* After spending a chilly night on the snowy roof of the opera house (presumably after his lauded performance in Bear's Song, 2013), Papa Bear decides that this is no place for a nice long nap, so he and Baby Bear look for a cozier spot and wind up among soft and furry stuffed animals in a bustling department store. But adorable Baby Bear is so cute that a little boy decides to take him home, and Papa Bear is off on yet another adventure chasing after his little cub. Through streets crowded with cars and a train station buzzing with passengers, Papa Bear (on a sporty yellow scooter) follows Baby Bear all the way to the pier, and the search continues on a tony cruise ship en route to a tropical island. On pages bursting with bright and colorful coral reefs, lounging sunbathers, and costumed conga line dancers, the hunt is onnot just for cub-seeking Papa Bear but also for tykes who love to spot the out-of-place ursines on each page swarming with silly details. In delightfully crowded, oversize spreads that jostle with activity and eye-catching colors, Chaud offers another absorbing and cheerful visual feast.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2014, American Library Association.)