The Best Kind of Bear

The Best Kind of Bear is the sweet tale of the teddy bear looking for his identity; he doesn't know what kind of bear he is, so he goes on an adventure to ask the others bears of the world. Although he has the same traits as the other bears, he doesn't quite fit in. On returning home, feeling rather down, he meets Nelly who tells him all the amazing qualities he has, and he doesn't need to fit into being a certain bear. Instead he becomes Nelly's bear! I really enjoyed the idea of the story and how sweetly it was told through the bear and Nelly. The element of friendship and belonging is cute and told in a simple way for children to understand. I think this could be very beneficial within PSHE lessons with its clear messages of identity and fitting in. The story is great for younger children as a bed time story or as an emerging reader - a lovely starting point. I liked the illustrations and the colours used, especially the polar bear! The attention to detail on the bear is lovely, too. At first glance I thought the illustrations were slightly old looking but once reading the story they fit perfectly with the sweet and innocence of the story and the characters. Picture book/ Ages 4+ / Reviewed by Lauren Maidman, teacher

Suggested Reading Age 3+