The Polar Bear in the Garden

by Richard Jones

Overview

A gentle story of learning to say goodbye to a loved one

One day, a child finds a polar bear in their garden. But this is no ordinary polar bear; it can fit in the palm of the child’s hand! As the days of the week go by from Monday to Sunday, the polar bear grows bigger and bigger. Soon, the child knows they must see the polar bear home safely. So off they sail, together, journeying across the sea in search of the polar bear’s home. And just as the bear outgrows the boat—land ho!

With exquisite skill and compassion, Richard Jones has crafted a profoundly moving story with tender illustrations and themes that will resonate with anyone who has loved and had to let go.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781682634332
Publisher:	Holiday House
Publication date:	10/04/2022
Pages:	32
Product dimensions:	11.27(w) x 9.93(h) x 0.46(d)
Age Range:	4 - 8 Years

About the Author

Richard Jones has more than twenty years of experience in the creative arts with a PhD in graphic communication. In his spare time, Richard enjoys bobbing about in the sea, feeding the cat, and licorice. Follow him on Instagram @apaintedmouse and visit him on the web at www.paintedmouse.com.

Editorial Reviews

"This gentle separation story subtly weaves in concepts of size comparison and days of the week and should resonate even with young toddlers, who likely will not want to say goodbye to this cuddly-looking bear, either."—The Horn Book

"Joyous art, celebrating freedom and the beauty of the sea, matches the text in tone and quality. Be ready for children to scour their own gardens in the hopes of finding a tiny bear of their very own. As satisfying as a warm blanket or a cup of cocoa."—Kirkus Reviews

From the Publisher

2022-08-17
The tale of an unusual rewilding.

On Monday, a child with brown hair and tan skin finds a polar bear so small that the child can hold it in their hands. Each day the bear grows a bit bigger so that by Wednesday, the child decides the time has come to take him home. They raise anchor and set sail in a little brown boat with red sails. Each day the bear grows a bit larger and they grow closer until at last, on Sunday, the bear quite dwarfs the boat and they make it to land. There, child, bear, and the bear’s new family romp and play until nighttime arrives and the child must say farewell. With hints of Judith Kerr’s The Tiger Who Came to Tea (1968) and a boat that Max from Maurice Sendak’s Where the Wild Things Are (1963) might envy, the book is awash in the best kind of wish fulfillment and sleepy storytelling. What could be better than a small child taking charge of something as large and imposing as a polar bear? Yet readers never for a moment doubt the possibility. Joyous art, celebrating freedom and the beauty of the sea, matches the text in tone and quality. Be ready for children to scour their own gardens in the hopes of finding a tiny bear of their very own. (This book was reviewed digitally.)

As satisfying as a warm blanket or a cup of cocoa. (Picture book. 2-5)

Kirkus Reviews