Ernest and Celestine

Muted ink and watercolour illustrations portray the special relationship between Celestine, a young mouse and large brown bear, Ernest. Poor Celestine is distraught when she loses her beloved toy penguin while out walking in the snow with Ernest. In response, Ernest does all he can to make up for the loss, searching the toyshop in vain for a replacement before coming up with another plan altogether.

First published in the UK in the 1980s, this tender story whose text comprises solely dialogue, has been reissued in slightly larger format with its text reworked, to coincide with the release of the animated film. The manner of telling means that the book is best suited to sharing with individuals or a small group of children because so much of the story, not least the moods and emotions of the characters, is unsaid, but conveyed within the illustrations which need to be pawed over and reflected upon.