The Bruce Swap

by Ryan T. Higgins, Ryan T. Higgins (Illustrator)

Overview

Bruce is a bear who struggles with fun.
When Bruce says no to fun one too many times, Nibbs, Thistle, and Rupert secretly wish Bruce was more fun. And the geese secretly wish for sandwiches. The next morning, all their wishes come true. Bruce is cheerful. Bruce is adventurous. Bruce has pizzazz . . . and a basket of sandwiches.
Except Bruce is not exactly Bruce. He’s Kevin, Bruce’s fun cousin. Nobody knows that Bruce has gone fishing. Nobody knows that Kevin is coming. Nobody even knows who Kevin is. But, everyone quickly learns one thing: Kevin LOVES fun.
Is it possible that too much fun is no fun at all?

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781368028561
Publisher:	Disney Publishing Group
Publication date:	05/04/2021
Series:	Mother Bruce Series
Pages:	48
Sales rank:	138,146
Product dimensions:	9.10(w) x 11.80(h) x 0.50(d)
Age Range:	3 - 5 Years

About the Author

Ryan T. Higgins (ryanthiggins.com) is the author and illustrator of the New York Times best-selling Mother Bruce, which received the E. B. White Read-Aloud Award and the Ezra Jack Keats New Illustrator Honor. In addition to the Mother Bruce series, Higgins is also the author and illustrator of We Don’t Eat Our Classmates, We Will Rock Our Classmates, BE QUIET, and What About Worms!? an Elephant & Piggie Like Reading book. He lives in Maine with his wife and kids and lots of pets.

Ryan T. Higgins (ryanthiggins.com) is the author and illustrator of the New York Times best-selling Mother Bruce, which received the E. B. White Read-Aloud Award and the Ezra Jack Keats New Illustrator Honor. In addition to the Mother Bruce series, Higgins is also the author and illustrator of We Don’t Eat Our Classmates, We Will Rock Our Classmates, BE QUIET, and What About Worms!? an Elephant & Piggie Like Reading book. He lives in Maine with his wife and kids and lots of pets.

Editorial Reviews

"A gentle, silly picture book about balancing fun and responsibility."—Kirkus Reviews

From the Publisher

2021-03-31
Bruce the bear is not fun.

He doesn’t like biking fast or making sculptures out of yogurt or dismounting from branches like an Olympic gymnast. And he definitely doesn’t like fun visits from friends and family. Bruce’s family loves Bruce, but they wish he were just a little more fun—that is, until they meet Bruce’s cousin Kevin, who looks just like Bruce (except for Bruce’s trademark scowl) but acts nothing like him. Bruce doesn’t know about Kevin’s visit, so he isn’t home when Kevin arrives. When Kevin shows up and introduces himself to Bruce’s immediate family—which consists of a motley crew of earnest mice and forever-hungry geese—he stages a candy fight, orders 26 pizzas, and turns the house into an indoor pool. When a minibus full of Kevin’s friends pulls up in front of the house, the fun goes a little too far. The mice and geese begin to miss their beloved, unfun bear—and to appreciate the need to be unfun, at least some of the time. The story’s textured, cartoon illustrations employ panels, speech bubbles, and an endearingly drawn cast of woodland characters to build humor into unexpected moments and to give the plot momentum. The dialogue is cheeky and conversational, deftly tucking clever jokes for adults between lines that clearly appeal to children. (This book was reviewed digitally with 9-by-24-inch double-page spreads viewed at 41.7% of actual size.)

A gentle, silly picture book about balancing fun and responsibility. (Picture book. 3-8)

Kirkus Reviews