Teddy's World " 'And what's the use of a book without pictures?' ...wondered Alice." TEDDY'S WORLD by Joost Elffers and Mirja de Vries 182 pages of full-color photomontages, comprised of over 1000 images, including 3 double-folds and 4 single-folds 9.5" x 11.5" Hardcover, $29.95 November 2002 ISBN: 0-9718975-0-6 Whether following Lewis Carroll's Alice down the rabbit hole into Wonderland, creeping through the back of the closet in C.S Lewis's The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, or sailing with Maurice Sendak's Max to Where the Wild Things Are - all great children's literature is peopled with wonderful characters who take us on imaginative journeys of transformation from where we return all the wiser. In Teddy's World, Joost Elffers and Mirja de Vries have created a touching visual journey into the inner life of the Teddy Bear - the dearest and most powerful emotional icon of childhood. This fall marks the 100th anniversary of the Teddy Bear. First appearing in 1902, the Teddy Bear has not only ingrained himself in pop culture, but has positioned his "bearness" as an essential member of the family, not to be replaced by any mere plush rabbit or frog. The Teddy Bear was created in honor of President Theodore Roosevelt after he refused to shoot a defenseless bear that was tied to a tree during a hunt. The spirit of the incident, and "Teddy" Roosevelt's compassion for the bear, inspired Brooklyn candy store owners Rose and Morris Michtom to make toy bears and name them after the President. It shouldn't surprise us that the life of this furry companion is rather complex. Imagine being the adored confidant and playmate of a small child, only to be slobbered on, tossed around, torn or even thrown away. A teddy's world is not simple, nor is it ideal. But it is wonderfully complete -- a rough-and-tumble existence, full of the ups and downs of love and loss, joy and trauma. He has secrets and nightmares, dreams and desires. Teddy wants to know where he came from and who he is. And Teddy's World reflects this quest for self-discovery. THE MAGICAL OBJECT According to Elffers, the teddy bear is "one of the most magical realities we have in modern life." He adds, "Teddy bears are adored, they help with loneliness, they stabilize our feelings, minimize our fears, and help our children make a successful transition from being mothered to being autonomous." They are the first transitional object, a child's first "not me" experience, and as such are essential to the learning process. A powerful icon, the teddy bear is a "magical object" indeed. Some 25 years or so ago, Joost suggested that his friend, photographer Mirja de Vries, take photos of teddy bears. And this she did. Today, she hosts the largest collection of teddy bear photographs in the world. Teddy's World features these photographs in sometimes surreal, sometimes super-realistic montages, in what Joost deems "a looking glass of reality." All 200 pages are composed of multi-layered images, seamlessly presented using the latest computer techniques to combine newly photographed scenes and images from the de Vries archives. A playful text, surprising and thoughtfully suggestive, helps the reader follow Teddy along his journey and identify with his quest. These wonderful tableaux stir up our memories, inviting us to explore our own emotional attachment to Teddy and be touched and enchanted in the process. Funny and utterly original, they express the sweetness and complexity of Teddy's relationships, his search for self-knowledge, his entire world. Together, they create an inspired and moving book - a fitting tribute to this fascinating, timeless object of our affection. BEAR IN MIND Teddy bears represent more than 60 percent -- $2.7 billion of the $4.5 billion -- plush toy market in the U.S.* About a half-million Americans are members of 21 Teddy Bear Clubs, and there are several million teddy bear collectors in the U.S. There are several magazines and hundreds of stores/boutiques in the U.S. focusing on teddy bears alone. There are thousands of web sites devoted to teddy bears and teddy bear themes. A teddy bear can mirror love and reflect it tenfold. An "arctophile" loves teddy bears unconditionally and forever - and to a certain extent identifies with them. * Statistics from the New York Times, "A Teddy Bear Celebrating a Real Teddy," Friday, December 14, 2001. Review Teddy's World Joost Elffers Photographs by Mirja de Vries    A special relationship exists between a child and his or her teddy bear. From the get-go, this soft, huggable companion is a dependable friend. It is dragged to the store, tucked in a backpack for special trips, snuggled during bedtime stories, and even submerged in sudsy bath water. As an ode to this popular stuffed animal, Mirja de Vries, a famous teddy bear photographer, has gathered more than 3,000 images to celebrate the world's most endearing symbol of childhood. Created as a tribute to the teddy bear's 100th anniversary, this magnificent volume takes readers of all ages on an exciting journey through the amazing world of this furry creature. As readers flip through the pages, the sheer volume of photos, as well as the clever page designs and layouts will mesmerize them. Packed with black-and-white, sepia-toned and full-color photos, this charming book features bears of all shapes, sizes, colors, and textures doing all kinds of interesting activities such as reading books, visiting museums, looking through old photo albums, dressing up in fancy clothes, embarking on special outings, and celebrating holidays. In addition to the crisp photography, this amazing resource also contains humorous and informative passages, as told from the teddy bear's point of view. The author presents fun historical facts, information about the teddy bear's role in the lives of children, a look at the teddy bear's presence in the arts (stories, paintings, etc.), the evolution of the teddy bear, etc. This resource includes several foldout pages, illustrations, reproductions, mock newspaper stories and magazine layouts, a nose identification chart, and a fur texture and color scale. Teddy bear fans everywhere will love this attractive, well-designed volume. It is a visual treat for the eyes and will make a great gift book for both kids and adults. Viva la teddy bear! 2002, Joost Elffers/Teddy's World LLC, Ages 6 up, $29.95. Reviewer: Debra Briatico ISBN: 0-9718975-0-6 Reviews of Other Teddy Bear Pals Bears Martin Schwabacher    We can spot a bear right away. After all, we've noticed bears ever since we first read Winnie the Pooh. But how much do we really know about these incredible animals? Where do they live? What do they eat? How many kinds of bears are there? Brilliant, full-color photographs and simple text cover in detail the bears' anatomy, skills, habitat, diet and hibernation. Readers will search Alaska, the Andes, Asia and more exploring the lives of real bears. Interesting fact boxes and fun trivia abound. Includes a thoughtful section about the dangers that humans pose to bears. A glossary, guide to further reading and web site make this a useful introduction to these very popular animals. Other titles in this "Animals, Animals" series include Chimpanzees, Elephants, Lions, Tigers, and Whales. 2001, Benchmark Books, $31.75. Ages 8 to 12. Reviewer: Dia L. Michels ISBN: 0761411690 The Bear Santa Claus Forgot Diana Kimpton Illustrated by Anna Kiernan    Maddie's house is Santa's last stop. He doesn't realize that the teddy bear she wanted has fallen through a hole in his sack and lies in the back of his sleigh. The bear is determined to be Maddie's present, and gets wet and sooty in his attempt to get to the right place. Maddie loves him just the same. Full-color illustrations adorn the text. 1995, Scholastic, $13.95. Ages 3 to 7. Reviewer: Dr. Judy Rowen ISBN: 0-590-26564-4 Best Books: Children's Choices, 1996 ; International Reading Association; United States Be Patient, Pooh Kathleen W. Zoehfeld Illustrated by Robbin Cuddy    Winnie the Pooh is anxiously awaiting suppertime while his friends are planning his birthday party. After breakfast and his stoutness exercises, Pooh pays a visit to Rabbit, who is hosting the party, and then to Piglet, in the hope of making the day pass quickly. Throughout the day, Pooh finds waiting very hard and the clock doesn't seem to be moving at all. It is only when Pooh finds Christopher Robin and they read a book together that Pooh Bear forgets about watching the clock. Very soon it is suppertime and the friends celebrate. The child-friendly text zeros in on a subject appropriate for preschoolers--developing patience for fun events, such as parties. The illustrations are charming, except for one word that does not match its illustration--Piglet's "pink" ribbon for Pooh's present is actually purple in the picture. This title is one in Disney's "My Very First Winnie the Pooh" series. 2000, Disney Enterprises, $12.99. Ages 2 to 5. Reviewer: Jeanne K. Pettenati ISBN: 0-7868-3250-9 Corduroy Makes a Cake Alison Inches Illustrations by Allan Eitzen Based on the characters created by Don Freeman    Don Freeman's character has a new adventure in this Viking Easy-to-Read level 2 reader. Lisa is having a party because today is her birthday. Corduroy decides that he will make Lisa a cake, but all he really succeeds in doing is making a big mess. He gets cake batter splattered all over, and pink frosting, too. When Lisa's Mom comes home, Corduroy hides and then gets an idea. Even though he failed to create a special birthday cake for Lisa, he does manage to give her a surprise. For kids who still want to believe that toys have lives of their own, this new story about Corduroy may have some appeal. For an adult reader, the unquestioning acceptance of Lisa's mother regarding the household mess may seem illogical. 2001, The Penguin Group, $13.99. Ages 5 to 8. Reviewer: Marilyn Courtot ISBN: 0-670-88946-6 Corduroy's Best Halloween Ever Based on the character created by Don Freeman Illustrated by Lisa McCue    The familiar warmth and caring of Corduroy the teddy bear is alive and well in this Halloween story. Corduroy and all his friends are gathering pumpkins, playing in the leaves, painting Halloween scenes on store windows (be ready for children to express an interest in this activity after reading the story to them!), and choosing costumes. A popular theme this season is the difficulty of the main character in making that choice. In this case, Corduroy cut and glued and sewed his own dinosaur costume. All is well until Puppy comes in very sad because his costume has fallen apart. Without a second thought, Corduroy lets Puppy climb into his own green dinosaur creation--while Corduroy ends up wearing a tablecloth covered with punch and chocolate stains. "I am a ghost who just came from a Halloween party!" announced Corduroy. It's a marvelous lesson in flexibility and making lemonade when life gives you lemons. 2001, Penguin Putnam, $3.49. Ages 3 to 5. Reviewer: Karen Leggett ISBN: 0-448-42499-1 Corduroy's Birthday B.G. Hennessy Pictures by Lisa McCue     Everybody's bear buddy, Corduroy, is back for a birthday filled with good deeds and surprises. The illustrations are all sun-kissed with an air of celebration, but what is especially nice is the clear message in the happy bear's activities about charity and responsibility. The curious partygoer will enjoy the abundant pop-up surprises as long as the paper tabs hold up. 1996, Viking, $11.99. Ages 6 to 8. Reviewer: Jessy Deutsch ISBN: 0-6708-7065-X Disney's Winnie the Pooh: A Celebration of the Silly Old Bear Christopher Finch    Christopher Robin Finch narrates this tribute to A.A. Milne's beloved creation. Narrates, because his involvement is on a very personal level--named as he is after Milne's son and hero of the classic childhood stories of Pooh Corner. Finch also grew up in the same London neighborhood and even met his disgruntled namesake. From this starting point, Finch takes us on a tour of A.A. Milne's life and literary works, then moves on to Walt Disney's recreation of the classic stories. The three animated featurettes produced by the studio directly from the original works are analyzed; further efforts at marketing Pooh's image are discussed. The second half of the book is an illustrated recounting of the stories of the three best known shorts. As usual with such Disney productions, the book's design values are excellent--thick glossy pages and superb color reproduction of the film cels. The end result is pleasant fluff for animation and Milne aficionados. 2000, Disney, $20.00. Ages All. Reviewer: Kathleen Karr ISBN: 0-7868-5344-1 Famous Bears & Friends: One Hundred Years of Teddy Bear Stories, Poems, Songs, and Heroics Written and collected by Janet Wyman Coleman     One of the world's favorite toys is celebrating a one hundred-year birthday. The teddy bear was created when President Theodore "Teddy" Roosevelt refused to shoot a helpless bear while on a hunting trip. The story appealed to Rose and Morris Michtom who created the first shoe-button eyed and straw-stuffed version. Teddy bears became so popular that thousands were created within just a few years. Included in the collection are excerpts from books about famous bears: Winnie the Pooh, Paddington, and Corduroy. In 1993 thousands of teddies washed ashore when they were swept off a ship. Inspired by this Teddy Bear Invasion of Rhode Island, the author has included many engaging tales of unusual bears. One bear survived the sinking of the Titanic, Senior Under Officer Edward Bear was a parachutist, and Kumotaro orbited the earth on the Space Shuttle Discovery. The collection is filled with songs, poems, stories, delightful illustrations and photographs. Children and collectors grab your favorite cuddly pal and share a wonderful history and classic stories. 2002, Dutton Children's Books, All Ages, $19.99. Reviewer: Laura Hummel ISBN: 0-525-46925-7 Love Is All You Need Catherine Daly Based on a teleplay by Mitchell Kriegman Illustrated by Kathryn Mitter    It is a typical day at Bear's house until Tutter asks Bear what love is. Bear explains by giving examples. All seems to be going smoothly until Ojo and Tutter have a falling out. Tutter accidentally breaks Ojo's toy airplane. Both are determined not to say I am sorry, but because they love each other they finally do make up. The message is about the various forms of love and how loving another person allows us to forgive transgressions. Based on a teleplay by Mitchell Krigman. 2000, Simon Spotlight/Simon & Schuster, $5.99. Ages 3 mo. to 4. Reviewer: Marilyn Courtot ISBN: 0-689-82380-0 My Best Friend Bear Tony Johnston Illustrated by Joy Allen    Every adult who had a childhood Teddy Bear will delight in sharing this story with a young reader. Our little girl has a bear that is her best friend. They talk to each other, share secrets and dance around the house together. Even the family dog loves the little bear. Her little bear is so loved that he is losing his eyes and his tummy. When Mommy rescues the little bear and agrees that he will be as good as new, our little girl wonders if he will be her best-loved bear. Mommy and the little girl share in the duties of fixing up, washing and air-drying the little bear. When he as good as new, the little girl and her best-friend bear dance the kookamonga all around the house. This is a delightful picture book for young readers. They will enjoy reading it with an adult friend, then reading it over and over again by themselves. I highly recommend this story as a gift from all teddy bear lovers and as an addition to all children's collections. 2001, Rising Moon, $15.95. Ages 3 to 8. Reviewer: Joyce Rice ISBN: 0-87358775-8 Best Books: The Best Children's Books of the Year, 2002 ; Bank Street College of Education; United States Old Bob's Brown Bear Niki Daly    Emma's Gran gives Old Bob, her grandpa, a teddy bear for his birthday, because he has said that he always wanted one. But Emma feels that he doesn't love Teddy as she does. She plays with the bear and does not want to leave him. So Old Bob lets her take Teddy on a visit and on vacation with her. She carries him everywhere for a very long time, giving him care and love. But one day Old Bob discovers that she has put Teddy away. Teddy may be old and worn, but now Old Bob wants him, for he has been filled with Emma's love. The illustration on the jacket cover tells almost the whole sentimental story, as Old Bob hugs the bear while Emma's face radiates affectionate joy reaching toward them. Watercolor scenes provide stage sets for this engaging collection of family anecdotes starring a willful preschooler who grows before our eyes. The vignette of her covetous stare when asked to return Teddy is typical of Daly's sensitivity and mastery of his esthetic media, as are his lively end-papers of Teddy's many adventures. Youngsters don't have to fully understand the symbolism of Teddy for Old Bob to feel the warmth and pleasure of the story. 2002 (orig. 2001), Farrar Straus and Giroux, Ages 3 to 7, $16.00. Reviewers: Ken Marantz and Sylvia Marantz ISBN: 0-374-35612-2 Once Upon A Time With Winnie the Pooh: A Disney Ttreasury of Favorite Nursery Tales and Rhymes Kathleen W. Zoehfeld Illustrated by Studio Orlando    Ten classical nursery tales and fifteen nursery rhymes are revived in this edition of Winnie the Pooh. The stories of Pooh and his friends from the Hundred-Acre Wood are based on the stories--"Chicken Little," "The Ram in the Chili Patch," "The Rooster and the Mouse," "The Little Red Hen," "Goldilocks and the Three Bears," "The Teeny-Tiny Woman," "Hansel And Gretel," "The Gingerbread Man," "Little Red Riding Hood," and "Three Billy Goats Gruff." Any cruel or violent elements, often inherent in the original classic tales, have been excluded or carefully transformed. The result is a collection of appealing Winnie the Pooh stories, with a nice level of rhythm and repetition, and with beautiful Disney illustrations of Pooh and his friends on every page. Appropriate for a broad age group, but the stories and rhymes are not chronologically ordered or labeled for specific age groups. Therefore parents/caretakers should select stories accordingly (for example, nursery rhymes for age 1 to 2, "Pooh Breaks His Honeypot" and "Rabbit Decides to Make a Cake" for age 2 to 3). Note--in the story based on "Goldilocks and the Three Bears," the dimensions of the illustrated beds do not provide a clear contrast between the small and medium-sized beds. Based on the Pooh stories by A.A. Milne. 2000, Disney Press, $19.99. Ages 1 up. Reviewer: Ute Krappen-Clancy ISBN: 0-7868-3254-1 Paddington Bear and the Busy Bee Carnival Michael Bond Pictures by R. W. Alley     Paddington Bear is back once again to teach us words that begin with the letter "B." On a day out in London with Mr. Gruber, they stop in Little Venice, a part of London along a canal. It just so happens that a carnival is being held there. Paddington and Mr. Gruber decide that they would like to go on the Busy Bee Adventure Trail writing down the many words that begin with "B" that they come across, such as bait, ball, bike, and bee. As usual, Paddington and Mr. Gruber meet various characters along the trail, some nice and some not-so-nice. The amusing, colorful, and detailed illustrations make this book as much fun to look at as to read. 1998, HarperTrophy, $12.95 and $5.95. Ages 3 to 8. Reviewer: Sheree Van Vreede ISBN: 0-06-027765-3 Paddington Bear Goes to the Hospital Michael Bond and Karen Jankel Pictures by R. W. Alley     Paddington is a familiar figure. He dispels hospital strangeness in this great story. Paddington Bear takes a tumble, loses his memory and hurts his shoulder. Taken to the hospital he learns much and as he does so, he schools and entertains readers with his antics. Encountering an x-ray machine he asks, "What's happened to my fur? I had it when I came in?" The patient doctor answers, "This is a special camera for looking inside people--and bears too." In a similar fashion, Paddington introduces children to anesthetic, hospital beds, medicines, emergency buttons and more. Paddington is confident when he leaves the hospital and says, "now that I know what goes on, I won't mind coming back!" This is really an informational book with a story invented for easy delivery. Paddington, an inquisitive and adventurous bear, is a perfect character choice. 2001, HarperCollins, $12.95. Ages 4 to 7. Reviewer: Susie Wilde ISBN: 0-06-9401563-6 Paddington Takes the Test Michael Bond Drawings by Peggy Fortnum In this lovely, fumbling, bumbling chapter book readers join the loveable bear from Darkest Peru on a series of misadventures. Attending Paddington's adventures are his adoptive family, the Browns, Mrs. Bird, the slightly grouchy but loveable housekeeper and Mr. Curry, the next door neighbor always lookingout for his own best interests. We begin with a case of mistaken identity that leads to Paddington's attempt to take a driver's license test, despite the fact that he isn't tall enough to see out the windshield and change gears at the same time. Whether it's visiting a Stately Home, helping with jobs around the house, taking an accidental hostage in a sauna or volunteering to assist at a magic show, Paddington creates adventure wherever he goes. A wonderful, lighthearted romp, ideal for children making the transition from beginning readers to longer works of fiction. An adorable protagonist, colorful supporting characters and an ever-present sense of adventure make this a must-have for every library. 2002 (Orig. 1980), Houghton Mifflin, Ages 8 to 12, $15.00. Reviewer: Sharon Oliver ISBN: 0-618-1834-1 Paddington Treasury Michael Bond Illustrations by Peggy Fortnum; hand-colored by Caroline Nuttall-Smith     The little bear from Darkest Peru is back in full glory with its original illustrations hand-colored in watercolors by Fortnum's step granddaughter, Caroline Nuttall-Smith. Bond has compiled all his Paddington stories with an added Introduction in which he explains the evolution of the original story idea which resulted in the publication of "A Bear Called Paddington" in 1958 (although Bond himself, perhaps having told the tale so many times, calls it 1965). At any rate, the edition is a handsome one, with lovely thick paper, and type big enough for reading to, or being read by a new generation of youngsters. It should surely cause a surge in the marmalade market. 1999, Houghton Mifflin, $29.95. Ages 3 to 7. Reviewer: Kathleen Karr ISBN: 0-395-90507-9 Best Books: Children's Choices, 1999 ; International Reading Association; United States Percy's Picnic Phyllis Reynolds Naylor    Newbery-award winner, Naylor loses her stride in this excruciatingly predictable, repetitious, and silly picture book. A family of bears goes on a picnic to the beach and ends up without lunch, since young Percy has replaced the contents of the picnic cooler with an assortment of his favorite teddy bears. For one thing, it is confusing to have both bears and teddy bears as characters. For another, this is a one-joke tale, and not very believable. Every time Percy asks if he can take one of his bears along, he is told there's no room, and if we took your bear, "we'd have to leave something behind." At lunchtime at the beach, the bears are aghast to discover that their cooler is filled with Percy's stuffed toy bears instead of lunch. But, as might be expected, Percy "saves the day." He sets up his bears alongside the boardwalk in front of empty plates, decks them out in red-checked bibs, and writes on the boardwalk, "Please DO feed the bears." A series of passers-by (including a donut-eating policeman) are inexplicably charmed and donate food, so the family has its picnic lunch after all. There are better teddy bear picnics to be had. 2002, Atheneum, $16.00. Ages 3 to 6. Reviewer: Linnea Hendrickson ISBN: 0-689-82561-7 Polar, The Titanic Bear Daisy Corning Stone Spedden Illustrations by Laurie McGaw Introduction by Leighton H. Coleman III    Polar was a real stuffed bear who was with his human family on the Titanic when it sank in 1912. Daisy Corning Stone Spedden wrote the story and gave it to her son Douglas for a Christmas present in 1913. This little story about the bear and the photographs of the people and artifacts of the time transport us to an "Upstairs, Downstairs" world that we can only imagine. Polar nearly went down with the Titanic, but he was rescued and safely reunited with his Master. The book is illustrated with lovely watercolors as well as photographs. A charming story, if a little old-fashioned, that proves that children of all eras are fascinated by the same things. 1994, Little Brown, $17.95. Ages 5 to 8. Reviewer: Judy Silverman ISBN: 0-316-80625-0 Best Books: Adventuring with Books: A Booklist for Pre-K--Grade 6, 1997 ; National Council of Teachers of English; United States Children's Catalog, Eighteenth Edition, 2001 ; H.W. Wilson; United States Not Just for Children Any More, 1999 ; Children's Book Council; United States Awards, Honors, Prizes: The Ontario Silver Birch Award Winner 1995 Nonfiction Canada Society of School Librarians International Book Awards 1995 United States Pooh Goes Visiting A.A. Milne Illustrated by Ernest H. Shepard    This is a reprint of A. A. Milne's original story "in which Pooh goes visiting and gets into a tight place." While Pooh is visiting his friend Rabbit and he eats so much honey and condensed milk that on his way out, he gets stuck in Rabbit's front door. Rabbit calls Christopher Robin for help, who suggests to Pooh, "we shall have to wait for you to get thin again." Since Christopher Robin believes that Pooh will have to wait a whole week to get thin again, Pooh asks his friends, "then would you read a Sustaining Book, such as would help and comfort a Wedged Bear in Great Tightness?" Finally, after a week of reading, Christopher Robin, Rabbit and all of Rabbit's friends and relations pull Pooh out of his entrapment. The delightful, old-fashioned language makes this story a special treat. The small, full-color illustrations appear bolder and less detailed to readers who are accustomed to the Disney version of Pooh stories. The entire book, however, has a beautiful old-fashioned look with lovely details, which makes it a special keepsake. Part of the "Pooh" series. 2000, Dutton Children's Books, $9.99 and $9.00. Ages 3 up. Reviewer: Ute Krappen-Clancy ISBN: 0-525-46457-3 The Tangerine Bear Betty Paraskevas Illustrated by Michael Paraskevas    Tangerine bear lives in a department store with his forty-nine brothers. He soon finds out that the reason he isn't sold is that his mouth is upside down. He ends up in Mr. Winkle's second-hand store with other broken toys. When a man offers two hundred dollars for the faded old bear, Mr. Winkle is tempted. But he tells the man that his toys are his family, and refuses the offer. The bear, the jack-in-the-box, and the cuckoo clock bird can relax(they are, indeed, a family. Charming pictures and a sweet old-fashioned story by this mother-and-son team. 1997, Michael Di Capua Books, $14.95 and $14.89. Ages 5 to 7. Reviewer: Judy Silverman ISBN: 0-06-205146-6 ISBN: 0-06-205147-4 Best Books: Publishers Weekly Book Review Stars, July 1997 ; Cahners; United States The Teddy Bear David McPhail    So often stories about the homeless, whether written for children or adults, tend to be overly sentimental, preachy or simplistic, but this is a warm and wonderful story with heart and tenderness. Kids will benefit from reading about this teddy bear who is loved by two very different people who nonetheless share all the human emotions such as love and loss, as well as the very human need for the steady comfort of someone, or something, to care for. A little boy loses his precious teddy, but a bearded man in raggedy clothes picks up the bear. As the story progresses, the man and bear form a bond and the little boy demonstrates a wonderful generosity. This story is based upon a scene the author-illustrator happened upon one cold winter evening when he saw a man with a teddy bear under his arm settle down into a Dumpster. The watercolor and ink illustrations capture the emotions and give the reader a strong sense of the atmosphere and background in which the story takes place. 2002, Henry Holt and Company, $15.95. Ages 4 to 8. Reviewer: Carolyn Mott Ford ISBN: 0-805-06414-1 Teddy Bears' Picnic Mark Burgess     It's hard to resist a busload of teddy bears. Burgess's cuddly bears work together to make and pack their picnic lunch, and some even don puffy baker's hats for the occasion. Then they're off on their yellow bus to picnic in a special place in the countryside. Later, a donkey ride on the beach rounds out a perfect day. This is a great book to read aloud, and it's interactive, too. Each page includes a flap which opens to reveal a well-known children's song or rhyme, from "Pat-a-Cake" to, of course, "Teddy Bears' Picnic." There are nine songs in all. The flaps also reveal a surprise in the picture-for example, a teddy fishing in a stream finds he's caught a boot on his line. The pictures are active, charming, and colorful. The story's lively, sing-songy rhymes will keep children interested. 1997, Puffin/Penguin, $5.99. Ages 2 to 6. Reviewer: Emily Schuster ISBN: 0-14-056462-4 What's that Smell? A Lift-and-Sniff Book Janelle Cherrington Illustrated by Cary Rillo    This lift-and-sniff book gets early readers and pre-readers involved in the story as they follow Bear around his house searching for a fresh-and-clean smell. Nine different scents are placed in different places throughout the book along with one surprise. Children will have fun finding the flap(s) on each page and sampling the smell underneath. This Jim Henson book, based on the TV series Bear in the Big Blue House, is a great tool for showing kids just how much fun books can be, not to mention the teaching aspect of associating objects with their unique smells, such as toothpaste, shampoo, and clean sheets. 1999, Simon Spotlight, $9.99. Ages 3 to 5. Reviewer: Sheree Van Vreede ISBN: 0-689-82567-6 Winnie-the-Pooh and Some Bees A.A. Milne Adapted by Stephen Krensky Decorations by Ernest H. Shepard    Winnie the Pooh, it turns out, is really a bear named Sanders. He hears a buzzing and deduces that it must be bees, and where there are bees there surely must also be honey. This bear loves honey. He fails to reach the nest and seeks the help of his friend Christopher Robin. A balloon, he figures, will help him reach the bees, but they aren't fooled. After a while he realizes that this plan won't work. With Christopher Robin's help he gets back to the ground but his arms are stuck straight up for a week. All he can do to move flies is to blow them away--hence his name--Winnie the Pooh. This excerpt may encourage kids to want more stories about Pooh and Robin. A "Puffin Easy-to-Read" book, Level 2 for kids beginning to read. 2001, Dutton, $3.99. Ages 5 to 8. Reviewer: Marilyn Courtot ISBN: 0525467815 ISBN: 0142300411 Winnie the Pooh's Book of Manners Mary Hogan Illustrated by John Kurtz    Pooh learns that manners are the ways that we treat each other, that they are the things we do and say that tell others that we care about them. Pooh and his friends of the Hundred-Acre Wood learn their manners while visiting friends, playing games, going to a party, setting the table, at the table, and on the phone. "So now do I know every manner?" wonders Pooh at the end. Christopher Robin explains that different manners arise all the time, "You should ask before you borrow something, and return it promptly. Cover your mouth if you are sneezing or yawning. Give your seat to someone who needs it..." But since Pooh is confused by so many rules, Christopher Robin assures him that he really only has to remember one rule, "and that's to treat others as you like to be treated." This is a wonderful book to teach children about manners in a loving and playful way. The learning of manners has been effortlessly embedded into the traditional Winnie the Pooh setting. Each chapter ends with a catchy rhyme, which helps Pooh (and the reader) to remember the manners he has learned. Great artwork and many full-page illustrations. Based on the Pooh stories by A.A. Milne. 2000, Disney Press, $13.99. Ages 3 up. Reviewer: Ute Krappen-Clancy ISBN: 0-7868-3206-1 To stay up to date on new books on this topic, consider subscribing to The Children's Literature Comprehensive Database. For your free trial, click here. Added 11/1/02