Where Is Bina Bear?

by Mike Curato, Mike Curato (Illustrator)

Overview

In Mike Curato's funny, poignant picture book Where Is Bina Bear?, a little rabbit throws a party—but can't find best friend Bina Bear anywhere!

Tiny is having a party, but Bina Bear is nowhere to be found. Is that Bina hiding under a lampshade? It looks like Bina . . . but it must be a lamp. Is that Bina beneath the fruit bowl? It could be . . . but it's probably just a table.

Searching for Bina, Tiny realizes something is wrong—and sets out to make it right. This is a humorous yet sincere picture book about friendship, understanding, and embracing our loved ones just as they are.

Godwin Books

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781250762207
Publisher:	Henry Holt and Co. (BYR)
Publication date:	01/11/2022
Pages:	32
Sales rank:	507,971
Product dimensions:	8.70(w) x 11.10(h) x 0.40(d)
Lexile:	AD180L (what's this?)
Age Range:	4 - 8 Years

About the Author

Mike Curato is the author and illustrator of the Little Elliot series and has illustrated a number of other books for children, including All the Way to Havana and Worm Loves Worm. He lives in Northampton, MA.

Editorial Reviews

★ 10/18/2021

Bina, a large purple bear, is wearing a lampshade on her head at a party—and it’s not a sign that she’s having too good a time. “Bina? Is that you?” asks Tiny the rabbit, the party’s host, after discovering Bina standing alone in a dark room. “I am not Bina. I am a lamp,” the figure says. Tiny doesn’t press when Bina camouflages herself as other, increasingly elaborate objects, including a table with a fruit bowl, a tree with a swing, and a full bookcase. But when Tiny finally asks the bear if she’s okay, a tearful Bina—now hiding out in the kitchen as a bag of groceries—admits that she doesn’t care for parties and only attended because she likes Tiny. Refreshingly, the host’s response is not to cajole or push, but to be with Bina in a way that acknowledges the bear’s feelings—even if it involves each of them wearing a lampshade. As always, Curato (Flamer) handles the theme of acceptance with empathy and a gently comic touch: the crisply rendered ink, watercolor, and pencil illustrations have a visual directness that appreciates the reality of Bina’s needs, as shown through her masking attempts. It’s a tender tribute to both lone wolves (er, bears) and the beings who love them. Ages 4–8. Agent: Brenda Bowen, the Book Group. (Jan.)

Publishers Weekly

"Inclusion and representation are always present in Curato’s thoughtful picture books, and this story is a sweet, sincere, and playful approach to discussing shyness. And while Curato is constantly expanding and evolving stylistically as an artist . . . the heart of his books remains consistently warm." —Booklist

"Even the most outgoing child will learn to empathize with those that don’t have fun in crowds . . . Imbued with understanding and overt silliness." —Kirkus Reviews

"A tender tribute to both lone wolves (er, bears) and the beings who love them." —Publishers Weekly

"This warm and comforting look at friendship offers meaningful insight into the value of support and acceptance." —The Horn Book

"A refreshing change from the usual “the more, the merrier” message often seen in picture books, and . . . a useful reminder to respect the boundaries of both shy people and shy bears." —The Bulletin

From the Publisher

★ 04/22/2022

PreS-K—Tiny the rabbit is throwing a party but cannot find Bina Bear. Bina is hiding, disguising herself as a lamp, a table, a tree, a chair, a bookshelf, and finally and most unconvincingly, as groceries. The mounting absurdity is heightened by the two characters continuing to interact, with Bina repeatedly claiming that she is not Bina. As the silliness hits its peak, the story takes a hard swerve into sensitivity, and the shift nails a satisfying emotional landing. When Tiny asks if she's okay, Bina tearfully admits that she does not like parties. Tiny does not try to convince Bina to step outside of her comfort zone or to be brave. The little rabbit simply offers affection and validation. When Tiny joins Bina in hiding from the rest of the party, the book reverts to silliness while simultaneously showing what it means to stand in solidarity with a friend. "Little Elliot" series creator Curato masterfully blends humor and pathos to create a sincere story celebrating unconditional acceptance. The pair's emotional journey is powerfully represented through color. The house and partygoers are all breezy pastels, Tiny the white rabbit often stands against a sunny yellow background, and in stark contrast to everything else is Bina, the dark purple bear. Tiny's comfort envelops Bina in yellow, and a moment of panic is expressed in electric neon pink. The last illustration of the two animals, dancing while still wearing lampshades on their heads, reassures young readers that the pair found a way to enjoy the party together. This book would prove an excellent prompt for classroom discussion as well as a vibrant read aloud. VERDICT A gloriously simple and funny story of empathy, recommended for first purchase.—Elizabeth Lovsin

School Library Journal

2021-11-16
A reticent bear finds noisy social gatherings, well, "un-bear-able."

A swinging party is underway at Tiny the bunny’s house, but where is Tiny's ursine friend Bina? Is she that strangely large lamp with the shade on its head? Is she the lumpy table with ears and a tail? Is she the tree with the suspiciously bearlike trunk? The bear-shaped chair? The bookcase “bear-ing” the weight of all those books? What begins as a fun and risibly easy seek-and-find morphs into something more when Tiny sees beyond one of Bina’s less-convincing disguises (“I am not Bina. I am…groceries”) and asks her what’s wrong. Bina confesses that she does not like parties, but she does very much like Tiny. Moved, the bunny puts a little lampshade over its head—another humorously implausible camouflage—and the two friends dance together. Anyone who has ever eschewed the cacophony of raucous social events for a darkened bedroom will instantly relate to the bear’s emotional honesty. Curato’s simple ink, colored pencil, and watercolor illustrations help bring a gentle pathos to Bina’s predicament. Even the most outgoing child will learn to empathize with those that don’t have fun in crowds. Tiny’s gender is unspecified.

Imbued with understanding and overt silliness; a quietly chucklesome affirmation of introverts. (Picture book. 3-6)

Kirkus Reviews