Let me just say up front that I particularly love picture books with bears. And The Other Bears has a whole lot of bears in it.

This book illustrates well the interactions that are common in so many neighborhoods, schools, and other public places. Grown-ups with prejudices, biases, or stereotyped ideas in their heads react with wariness, dislike, or fear to people different than themselves, but all kids notice are the cool things -- great food, funny jokes, cool toys, exciting swingsets, etc. The book works just as well at teaching the parents/grown-ups reading the story to their kids to be tolerant as it does for the kids.

Note: I received a digital copy of this book through NetGalley. ( )

I love, love, loved this book! It was a wonderful story that conveyed a really important message (yes, I know the synopsis says basically the same thing, but it's true). The adults always found something negative to say about the other families, while the children only saw kindness and the potential for friendship. They were open to meeting new people and making friends, while their parents acted annoyed and affronted.

However, in the end... seeing all of the children playing together -- without judgement -- caused them to reevaluate their perspectives. Yay!

Originally posted at Do You Dog-ear? on September 8, 2018. ( )

A koala family watches the arrival of different bear families dressed in clothes appropriate to the area they are from. The bears arrive riding bikes, or playing in a band all engaged in activities they enjoy. The koala parents find something to dislike about each group. But the koala children find delight in interacting with their new neighbors. Of course, the koala parents realize that there are no differences when children are happy and playing together. Delightful story with the obvious message that can not be repeated often enough. Illustrations are superb, love the faces, the clothes the appropriate activities that each bear group exhibits. Different bear groups are named in the front and back inside covers. Their location and size. For the record, it is pointed out that koalas are not bears. Originally published in Australia. Read as a selection from NetGalley. ( )