1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Bear's Birthday is a Ball!, November 1, 2008
This review is from: Big Brown Bear's Birthday Surprise (Hardcover)
The great David McPhail channels the dry wit of Daniel Pinkwater, the illustrative poignancy of the Beatrix Potter books, and the tranquil setting of K. Grahame's "The Wind in the Willows" in this wonderful tale of Big Brown Bear's adventures with a river rat on the former's birthday.
Structured as a chapter book, the story imaginatively connects Brown Bear's surprise rivershide bithday party with a short boat trip, a man who, not coincidentally, has lost his boat, and a final present and cake celebration. We open with rat and Bear picnicing by the water's edge, and rat (like his namesake in "Wind in the Willows"( is a genteel, albeit practical friend: He's made some delightful cucumber sandwiches (washed down with lemonaide), but, knowing Bear's prodigious appetite, he has made ten of them!
The book's warmth and slightly dry humor will elicit laughter from kids and their adult buddies. When Rat says that today is the birthday of "someone you know very well," the forgetful Bear wishes rat a happy birthday. No, no, says rat, "not mine...it's yours."
"'Really, asked Bear. 'How did you know?'"
"I remembered form last year,' said Rat, 'Birthdays don;t change. THey are always on the same day.'
'Amazing,' said Bear."
Just after Rat gives Bear a clue about his birthday present ("It has four letters and begins with a B" --this could beget a nice word game for your little one), a boat (Bear mistakes it for that B word) floats by, and the two friends figure they'll "return it..and have a boat ride too." In the third mini-chapter, they find the owner: A man sitting on a floating log. When he climbs into his boat, the weight sinks them all, and Bear, Rat, and the man swim back to shore. This is the least interesting story here; perhaps the sight of the sinking boat will amuse some. Curiously, this is also where Bear looks least animated. In contrast to the rest of the book, he looks a little more on the stuffed side than in the rest of the book. However, only very observant grown-up eyes are likely to notice this. There's a nice bedtime sort of quality to the conclusion: Walking back from downstream, Bear warms up with a towel as he and Rat walk back home. On the way, Rat gives him his birthday present (a ball, which Bear loves playing with), and when they arrive, there's a delicious frosted birthday cake with five candles!
I'm pleased to say that the river sections (end of part 2 and beginning of part 3) may also be the most beautifully illustrated section, with Rat and Bear floating down the softly shadowed river, green and golden colored trees dipping overhead, and even an old Arthurian castle far away in the background. To me, it's a beautifully rendered tribute to Kenneth
Grahame; a scene that will evoke bright, sweet memories for many adults, just as this book will for its young audience.
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4.0 out of 5 stars
This is a beary fun book about the joy of little things, August 7, 2007
This review is from: Big Brown Bear's Birthday Surprise (Hardcover)
There is a surprise in store for Big Brown Bear. It's his birthday! And his friend Rat has a full day planned for Bear. But after a delicious picnic, when Rat is about to bring out a present, the adventure begins.
In this beautifully illustrated picture book, David McPhail brings together unlikely friends who share a comfortable bond. It is a story of friendship, adventure and the simple things. And, though boats can sink, they are fun while they last. Just like friendship.
As this story is divided into chapters, this is an encouraging book for young readers. Though read-aloud parents will just think of this as an average story length (it is shorter than many of Seuss'), the newer, self readers will see this as a "chapter book," and really think they are accomplishing something when they read it.
This book also encourages contentment and finding joy in the small things. As so many children rush through their childhood, moving from one new thing to another and never stopping to enjoy the moment, reading this book is like a breath of fresh air. Good friends, a little adventure and enjoying the simple life.
Armchair Interviews says: Share in this "breath of fresh air" message.
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0 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
1.0 out of 5 stars
Okay but not great, August 11, 2008
This review is from: Big Brown Bear's Birthday Surprise (Hardcover)
The text is way too long in this picture book. I didn't feel like the ending was enough payoff for all that text! It's a sweet story, but nothing particularly special. The illustrations are nice, but not enough to make up for the story problems, in my opinion.
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