From School Library Journal
PreS-Gr 1-When Bear gets too sticky, glittery, sandy, dirty, and stinky, it's off to the washing machine for him. "Be brave, Bear!" Flora tells him. As he spins around (with all the dirty socks), the child remembers all the good times that got him so dirty. These escapades are recounted in rhyming italic text-breakfast smears, melted ice-cream tears, sticky sweets, winter showers, marker scribbles, and much more. The illustrations in this section mimic the front of a washing machine. They are a perfect circle with the text on suds placed at the top and bottom of the page with socks floating at the edge of the scenes to reinforce the effect. When Bear is finally clean and dry, he no longer looks, smells, tastes, or feels like he should to sad Flora, so she spends the rest of the day doing things with Bear (again recounted in rhyming italic text)-teatime fun, backyard games, and art projects-that will make him himself again. When it's time for Flora to have her bath, she wonders if Bear will still love her when she's all washed and clean, which, of course, he does. Docherty breathes new life into a familiar tale via fun-to-read text with clever placement, homey illustrations with ingenious design, and an overall feeling of love and warmth. Pair it with Helen Oxenbury's Tom and Pippo and the Washing Machine (S & S, 1988) for a super clean storytime.-Catherine Callegari, Gay-Kimball Library, Troy, NHα(c) Copyright 2013. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
The risks of bathing a smelly and stained Bear are almost too much for Flora. Will memories of finger painting, sharing birthday cake, jelly breakfasts, and mud-filled adventures wash away in the laundry? Flora expresses her fear that if either she or Bear gets too clean, they won’t love each other in the same way. Dreamy soap bubbles frame each round picture as Flora reminisces about their fun-filled times together. When Bear emerges clean and fluffy, several lively double-page spreads show the two getting dirty all over again in a variety of indoor and outdoor activities while an indulgent mom looks on. Docherty, short-listed for the Kate Greenaway Medal for To the Beach in 2009, uses detailed pen-and-watercolor drawings to skillfully interpret moods and settings as he depicts a small girl’s love of her best bear. Their expressions run the gamut to tell the story, and Bear’s messy antics fill the endpapers. Who could resist such a grubby and endearing pal? Preschool-Grade 1. --Lolly Gepson
Review
Muck and mess make good, clean fun.
—Kirkus Reviews
Docherty ... uses detailed pen-and- watercolor drawings to skillfully interpret moods and settings as he depicts a small girl’s love of her best bear. Their expressions run the gamut to tell the story, and Bear’s messy antics fill the endpapers. Who could resist such a grubby and endearing pal?
—Booklist
About the Author
Thomas Docherty was born in New Zealand but has spent most of his life in England. He studied metalwork and sculpture and now has a collection of acclaimed picture books. Thomas has been short-listed for a variety of awards, including the Kate Greenaway Medal in 2009 for Little Boat.
