The Bear's Sea Escape

The Bear's Sea Escape
by Benjamin Chaud
Chronicle Books, 2014 (U.S. Edition), Picture Book

Here is a new look-and-find book originally printed in France. It is winter and Papa Bear and his cub are looking for a warm place to sleep for the winter. After searching the city, they snuggle up in a Christmas display of stuffed animals. Soon, however, a child chooses the cub, thinking he is a toy. Papa bear wakes up just at the cub is taken away by his new owner. Papa bear follows his cub to the train station, the coast, and onto a cruise ship. The boat takes them to a tropical island where Papa finally finds his cub, and they both find a warm place to sleep. In a "Where's Waldo" style, each two page spread shows a scene full of little figures going about their lives. It is not at all simple to find the little bear and Papa bear in the crowd. As readers search, they discover that each page is full of interesting human drama and activity. The illustrations are ink and watercolor, and have a very stylized, European, flavor.

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