Bear and Bird: The Secret and other stories
Jarvis
Walker Books

Another collection of short stories – four in all – about the adorable best friends Bear and Bird who have adventures together.

The first story, The List, finds Bird upset as Bear has given all the animals nicknames except her. This prompts Bird to retaliate by writing Bear a letter containing the worst names she can think of, something she soon regrets. She tries to retrieve it but there’s a mix up with a shopping list. What will be the outcome?

Story two, The Lasagne, sees the friends at odds again, this time about lists of things they don’t like; it even goes so far as to make Bear doubt their friendship but then Bird decides there’s another dislike and it’s something they can both agree on …

Next comes The Secret and this is guaranteed to make young readers giggle as they get a view of Bear sitting on the loo, his getaway place aka Woody Wood Public Toilet; but as for his aptitude for keeping secrets, well that’s another matter completely.

The Tree takes places just after tea time and the two buddies are supposed to be playing a game of hide-and-seek and Bear is certainly well equipped but who are they hiding from and will their hiding place ever be discovered?

With comic mix-ups aplenty and wonderful watercolour scenes of the besties and some of their friends, this is an ideal book for those just starting to fly solo as readers.