Baby Bear's Chairs »

JaneYolen lives in Massachusetts.

John Schoenherr lives in New Jersey.

In this sweet, bedtime story, Baby Bear discovers that Papa's lap is the best chair of all!

Publishers Weekly

To a tiny bear, it seems like the world is made for the "great big bears"-like his parents-who survey their domain from "great big chairs." The cub's older brother has it pretty good, too. No high chairs "with straps so/ tiny bears don't fall" for those of his brother's ilk: "middling bears" get to sit in "middling chairs," big enough to serve as pretend pirate ships (and if those middling bears take a tumble from the mast, they get right up again and "never cry"). But while tiny bears may get bossed around a lot and have yet to prepare for that rough-and-tumble life, they do have one advantage: they can "cuddle up/ to take a nap/ upon the chair/ that's Papa's lap." Yolen's (Soft House, reviewed below) empathetic rhyming text infuses the classic preschooler's complaint with touching eloquence; as always, she connects with young readers without pandering to them. Sweet (Carmine: A Little More Red) makes an ideal visual partner. Her mixed-media illustrations exude a sunny open-heartedness; the slightly naif style opts for emotional authenticity over realism, but Sweet also includes plenty of domestic details to create a bear household that is both a loving one and also a great setting for a play date. Above all, the pictures assure youngsters that no matter how they may rail against the injustices of being small, there are still many benefits. Ages 2-5. (Oct.) Copyright 2005 Reed Business Information.