Hello! says Olly Bear

In spite of his parents’ best efforts to interest him in his new baby sister, Olly Bear resolutely ignores the addition to the household. Then, finding that he can stop her crying, Olly finds the baby might be of interest after all. This is a comforting story which, on a simple level, offers a message that to accept change it is necessary to feel involvement with whatever has caused the change.

The setting has a mid-twentieth-century feel to it, and mother and father bear definitely look like grandparents (of quite a traditional kind). Slightly fuzzy black outlines and calming palette add to the feeling of reassurance which pervades the Olly Bear household. There is a touch of humour in the constant visual interaction between Olly and his parents. The endpapers provide a clever opening and closing note to a tale which offers reassurance to a young audience.