Wonder! Such an astonishing experience that makes life so special. Wonder is that goosebump feeling you get sometimes when something feels bigger, more special and perhaps connects you instantly to a spirit or a place or a sense that there is something amazing before you or happening to you.
Where can we find it? How can we share this precious commodity with our children? THE BEAR AND THE STAR has wonder all over it.
It begins slowly with blowing snow, the touch of a lone pine twig and then unfolds into a snowy December morning where a rosy glow is just beginning on the horizon. Bear awakes and turns to see a new star, bigger than any he (kind of wish it was a she, but never mind) has ever seen before and Bear knows...... Bear knows that "It is time."
It is time. Doesn't that just get your curiosity going? What could it be? What does Bear know?
Bear sets forth on a search for a tree and not just any tree. This tree has to be very, very special. That suspense is starting to build now. Bear is searching.
Part of what I love about this book is that Bear's eventual bellowing and calling will reach out for miles and miles and miles away from his mountain top. It spreads across "canyon and valley, between boulder and butte, across prairie and lake." It is coming to speak to all of us, wherever we are.
This is a gorgeous book with illustrations that celebrate the beauty, the value, and the meaningfulness of our natural world. It takes us to a place where everyone can gather. It reminds us that we can look to something that is larger than each of us and there we can remember that we all want our amazingly special world to live in peace.
It feels a mite religious simply because it is set in December. There is a star. But, this is truly a remarkable book that finds that place in each of us that knows about giving and compassion and sharing and above all, about living our lives on this planet in peace.
Lovely in every sense of the world. Let there be peace on Earth.
40 pages 978-0062660374 Ages 4-8
Keywords: love, peace, compassion, bear, nature, Christmas, getting along, wonder, 4 year old, 5 year old, 6 year old, 7 year old, animals
Recommended by: Barb Langridge, abookandahug.com
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In this universal celebration of community and love, Bear gathers his friends from near and far to mark the changing of the season.
Acclaimed author Lola M. Schaefer and award-winning artist Bethanne Andersen explores themes of empathy, hope, and peace in this breathtaking picture book that will bring joy to the holidays as well as year round story times.
On a cold winter morning, Bear welcomes a new star to the sky and searches for the perfect tree—a majestic evergreen—under which to host a celebration for everyone to enjoy. Almost as if by magic, guests start to arrive. They are feathered, furry, scaled—on the wing, on four paws, on two feet. They are young and old. They bring gifts. They bring love. They bring hope for peace.
The Bear and the Star is a stunning picture book from acclaimed author Lola M. Schaefer and award-winning artist Bethanne Andersen. With a focus on understanding, empathy, community, and hope, it’s the ideal choice for family sharing during the holiday season and throughout the year.--from the publisher
