Caldecott Monday: The Biggest Bear

[osprey_archer]

The Caldecott project rides again! I've got a new library card, so we're off to the races.

And what a book to restart with! Lynd Ward's The Biggest Bear is a total hoot. Johnny Orchard is embarrassed because his family's barn is the only barn in the valley without a bear skin hanging up to dry on the outside. One day he hikes off in the woods determined to shoot the biggest bear he can find! ... only to stumble upon an adorable bear cub, which he takes home with him as a pet.

Naturally the bear cub eats everything in sight, which becomes increasingly hilarious as the book goes on. I think my favorite illustration is the one of the cub - no longer a cub, but a full grown bear - drunkenly guzzling jugs of maple syrup as if they were kegs of hard cider.

I also really like the illustrations in this one. They're very delicately rendered grayscale drawings. The people sometimes seem a bit wooden (especially when they're smiling, for some reason; their cranky looks are lively enough), but the bear overflows with charm and character.

Next week is Madeline's Rescue! Do you know I've never actually read a Madeline book? This is actually rather surprising; from what I've heard of them, I think they're the kind of book my mother would have considered a good example for me. (We read lots of books with tomboy heroines who didn't fit in with the others.) I'm excited to fill this gap in my knowledge!

Comments

[osprey-archer.livejournal.com]

They look a bit like Dick and Jane characters when they're smiling - that sort of stiff mechanical smile that becomes slightly creepy when you look at it too long.