A grumpy bear is a reluctant playmate to a persistent pack
of child goslings in an inescapable sport of hide-and-seek.
Lovable, curmudgeonly Bruce, the scowling black bear of the Mom
Bruce picture-book collection, makes his second board-book look for youthful
readers, following 1 Grumpy Bruce
(2018). The setup is straightforward: “The geese need to play with Bruce as we speak. // Bruce
doesn’t need to play. / He’s going for a stroll alone. Let’s be a part of him!” The
the rest of the e-book depicts Bruce’s unsuccessful makes an attempt to elude his
would-be sidekicks and his hilariously perturbed reactions when his diligent
seekers discover him at each flip. Bruce hides behind timber, tries to mix in
with rocks, makes an attempt to flee in a bubble bathtub, tries to slide away with a cup
of his favourite heat beverage, and at last flees in desperation until he and his
pursuers all collapse in exhaustion. The ultimate caption reads, “Good evening
Bruce. Let’s play this sport once more tomorrow!” Refreshingly, Bruce’s grouchiness
isn’t introduced as an issue that should mounted. Quite, Bruce performs the
long-suffering straight man to the charmingly oblivious child geese, whose
unwavering affection for his or her disinclined companion is genuinely touching. The
art work, as in all of the Mom Bruce books, is beautiful, in the identical league as
any of the good kids’s classics: wealthy intimately, deft, easy, elegant,
and expressive.
Half Are You My Mom?
half The Odd Couple, all pleasant. (Board
e-book. 1-Four)
