Bear Needs Help by Sarah S. Brannen - ADVISABLE

Bear Needs Help by Sarah S. Brannen. PICTURE BOOK. Philomel Books (Penguin Young Readers), 2019. $17. 9780525516507

BUYING ADVISORY: EL (K-3) - ADVISABLE

AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE

With sparse text, we follow along as a polar bear with shoes on tries to ask for help. Seals and hares turn away, but two doves come to the rescue. Only “the rescuse” isn’t exactly what you were thinking.

This simple and quick tale is cute and funny. It plays with the common struggle of young readers to learn to tie their shoes, but flips it on its head. This book won’t stick with me for long, but I enjoyed it while I read it.  

Jen Wecker, HS English Teacher