Happy Perfect Picture Book Friday, my friends!

Today is the first day of summer…and what could be a more perfect selection for our picture book review? Here’s a story about bears and summer and…well, you’ll find out.  Plus, to celebrate the summer solstice and the launch of this adorable book (July 1, 2019), the author, the lovely Lydia Lukidis, is offering a Picture Book Manuscript Critique as a giveaway! What a fabulous prize!

NO BEARS ALLOWED

Written by Lydia Lukidis

Illustrated by Tara J. Hannon

Published by Blue Whale Press (2019)

Ages: 4-7

Themes: Overcoming fears, friendship

Synopsis: From Amazon:

“Rabbit is afraid of many things, but most of all he’s afraid of gigantic, monstery, BEARS! The very nervous Rabbit is soon confronted by his worst fear who appears to be far more interested in making new friends than causing Rabbit any real harm. Despite his apprehension, Rabbit agrees to join his jovial new acquaintance for dinner, but wait a minute . . . is Bear planning to “have” Rabbit for dinner? In this tender story about a very nervous rabbit and a lovable bear, Rabbit discovers that things aren’t always as scary as they seem, and sometimes you may just have more in common with others than you think.”

“Tara J. Hannon’s whimsical, fun, colorful drawings enhance a fine picture book story highly recommended for either independent pursuit by ages 4-7, or read-aloud pleasure.” — D. Donovan, Sr. Reviewer, Midwest Book Review

“This adventure offers an effective brain exercise in graphic storytelling for young readers. . .” — Kirkus Reviews

Why I love this book:

• Love the refrain about the pointy teeth and sharp claws
• Love the humor
• Love the simple message of friendship helping to conquer fears
• Bold, bright kid-friendly illustrations will have children turning the pages

RELATED ACTIVITIES

Photo courtesy: https://www.craftymorning.com/paper-bag-bear-puppet-kids-make/

I think you all know how much I love paper bag crafts…inexpensive and so easy for the little ones to work with. For detailed instructions: https://www.craftymorning.com/paper-bag-bear-puppet-kids-make/

For more information about this talented author, please visit: http://lydialukidis.com/

And remember, Lydia is giving away a picture book critique…which is AWESOME! Just leave a comment below…and don’t forget the best way to let our favorite authors know how much we love their books is to: buy their books, review their books on Amazon, Goodreads, and other review sites, tell friends about the books, and ask our libraries to purchase copies for their collections.

I hope you all have a wonderful weekend!