The Bear's Escape by Benjamin Chaud
Although I am a big fan of the illustrations of Benjamin Chaud (see below) I missed the boat on The Bear's Song, which he authored and illustrated. Happily, I have the follow up, The Bear's Sea Escape and am thrilled to share it with you! A magnificent cross between an intricately, culturally detailed, Richard Scarry book and a densely packed Where's Waldo tome, The Bear's Sea Escape finds Papa Bear and his cub searching for a place to hibernate after the roof of the Paris Opera House turns out to be not as ideal as they had hoped when they settled there at the end of The Bear's Song. Nestling in amongst a cozy display of teddy bears at a Parisian department store, Papa Bear thinks they have everything sorted until a young shopper decides to take Little Bear home with him! Papa bear awakens just in time to give chase...
The chase leads to a tropical island where the festivities are in full swing. A conga line leads Papa Bear and the other dancers along winding paths, up circular staircases and across ornate bridges, following the entrancing sound of the music. Finally, as the conga line, now a masquerade party, reaches a table laden with sweet treats, Little Bear reveals himself. The book ends with Little Bear begging his Papa to let him stay awake for one more song - a special lullaby that he wrote just for his father, about a "Little bear and his Papa Bear, hibernating by the sea, where the sun will keep them warm and fill their winter dreams." I hope that Papa Bear and Little Bear wake up rested and ready for another adventure...
Other books illustrated by Benjamin Chaud:
Source: Review Copy
