Maudie and Bear

By Jan Ormerod & Freya Blackwood

Meet pert and plucky Maudie, a person of decidedly definite tastes and timing and a mountain of a golden brown bear who team up in Maudie and Bear to admirable and charming advantage. It is classic in its narrative feel and art. Included are five stories of shared bike rides, afternoon snack making, moonlight dancing, visits to The Three Bears house (involving the tasting of porridge) and eventually, of course, as all friends encounter, a spat.

The endearing charm of this book is its timeless Winnie-the-Pooh cozy comfort, with its themes as old as childhood itself-the need for someone to love us unreservedly and the confidence to know it will always be available to us when we find it.

Spend a quiet, relaxing afternoons with a bright and single-minded young lady called Maudie, who’s also smart enough to know a good friend when she sees one. The illustrations unite perfectly with the prose here to create a world you and your children would be happy to revisit again and again. Patience is this bruin’s watchword. On one occasion, he awaits Maudie collecting sunglasses, hat, scarves, sunscreen and bug spray prior to their departure. There is no show of annoyance as this bear skillfully makes daisy chains awaiting the appearance of Maudie. Folks, this is one softhearted bear and you will love him and his friend. Hint: Maudie, be a bit more understanding of the bruin. He’s a keeper! And, by the way, I love the goggles and aviator helmet you chose for the bike ride. It’s tres chic.