A Best Friend for Bear

In this standout picturebook that zings with spring colours, kindness and fun, two lonely bears join forces on a friendship hunt. Gentle challenges ensue, and the bears support each other with a well-timed paw or shove, but their goal – finding a friend for each of them – remains elusive…

A joyful game of hide-and-seek hones their skills, but just as they’re congratulating themselves on their achievements, Black Bear realizes that his companion has disappeared. Scratching his head against the only unwelcoming backdrop in the book, Black Bear considers the unthinkable. What if Brown Bear has gone forever? A simple page turn reveals him sitting in a tree above, but Black Bear must wait until Brown Bear shouts BOO! to join him on the branch. ‘I was getting worried that I would never find my friend,’ says Black Bear, happily. ‘Isn’t it amazing how you can find a friend where you least expect it,’ agrees Brown Bear, as the two head back into the forest, holding paws..

Surrounded by new green leaves and dappled shadows, Horacek’s bears move and interact like nursery teddies gone wild – they lumber and stretch in a naturalistic way, but their concern for each other and general good humour bring them closer to home…

Luminous, engaging and assured, A Best Friend for Bear delivers an appealing blend of in-the-know humour, affection and sincerity, and its cheerful readability and upbeat message will ensure a warm welcome from young readers and their adults.