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Summary
Summary
Bank Street College of Education Best Book of the Year
This simple and endearing story about friends learning to understand each other's differences is filled with author/illustrator Suzanne Bloom's gentle humor and trademark pastel illustrations.
Sometimes Bear likes quiet time by himself. But his friend Fox has a very different idea of what "quiet" means. Can Bear's quiet aloneness and Fox's noisy togetherness ever result in a satisfying compromise?
"This title offers a winning combination of earnestness and flippancy, sweetness, and saltiness. Readers will gain insight into the rewards of contemplation and quiet. The book will inspire rich discussions about what it means to be alone and together and what the experience of "alone togetherness" might mean for friends." -- School Library Journal
Author Notes
Suzanne Bloom is the author and illustrator of the ever-popular Goose and Bear series, including the Geisel Honor-winning A Splendid Friend, Indeed, as well as many books outside the series, such as I Just Like You, The Bus for Us and A Mighty Fine Time Machine . A longtime resident of upstate New York, Suzanne is a graduate of Cooper Union and is a mother and a grandmother. Visit suzannebloom.com.
Reviews (5)
School Library Journal Review
PreS-Gr 1-In this sixth book about Goose, Bear, and Fox, Bloom explores the concept of solitude in a playful way. When Bear sits alone to meditate, Fox pesters him. "'Why are you all by yourself, Bear? Are you sad? Mad? Lonely?'" he asks. After being reassured that Bear is none of these things, he attempts to be "alone together" with Bear. However, Bear defines quiet time a bit differently than Fox, who wants to hum and twirl, among other things. Finally, Goose joins the two friends, and they are all "alone together." Vibrant pastel drawings depict a polar bear with white bristly fur that appears illuminated by blue and green. His eyes and nose are nothing but black smudges. Goose and Fox are drawn in even less detail, but their boldly colored bodies and humorously elongated beaks and ears bring them to life. On each page, the three creatures appear in various configurations against a solid blue background, a snowy carpet beneath them. The lack of scenery or context helps viewers focus intently on each animal's position, body language, and feelings, which is especially important in a book that examines subtle emotions. This title offers a winning combination of earnestness and flippancy, sweetness, and saltiness. Readers will gain insight into the rewards of contemplation and quiet. The book will inspire rich discussions about what it means to be alone and together and what the experience of "alone togetherness" might mean for friends.-Jess deCourcy Hinds, Bard High School Early College, Queens, NY (c) Copyright 2012. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Publisher's Weekly Review
In Bloom's sixth Goose and Bear title, following 2013's Fox Forgets, Bear is trying to have some time to himself to sit quietly, but buddy Fox doesn't quite have a handle on the concept. "I'm going to be alone with Bear," Fox announces to Goose, proceeding to hum, twirl, and make whooshing noises until the frustrated Bear (gently) lets Fox know that he's looking for less noise (Fox consents and promptly falls asleep on top of Bear). Bloom sets the action against a placid blue backdrop, and there's plenty of subdued comedy in her fuzzy pastel portraits of Fox, Bear, and Goose, who eventually wanders over to be "alone together" with the other two. It's a pleasant reminder that friendship takes all kinds-though it's really Bear's patience that makes it work in this case. Ages 2-6. (Oct.) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.
Horn Book Review
In the friends' latest story (Fox Forgets; Oh! What a Surprise!; etc.), Fox wonders if Bear is sitting alone because he is sad, mad, or lonely. But Bear just wants some quiet time. Simple, minimal text paired with Bloom's saturated, fuzzy-textured pastel illustrations on rich blue backgrounds spotlight the characters' feelings, revealing their caring, loving relationship despite their individual differences. (c) Copyright 2015. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Kirkus Review
Big, white, cuddly Bear tries to have quiet time alone. Large white lettering over a deep blue background presents the sparse text, perfectly worded for a beginning reader to figure out or for a preschooler to memorize. Seated on the soft white ground of the verso, which might or might not be snow, Fox asks Goose, "Where's Bear?" and Goose, pointing to the recto with a feathery thumb, replies, "Over there." Just on the other side of the gutter, Bear sits holding something, a dreamy look on the fuzzy countenance. As the page turns, the two smaller animals continue to stare toward Bear, and Goose explains Bear's occasional wish for solitude. When Fox decides to "be alone with Bear," who is by this time staring at a small spinning top, the humor escalates. Bear succinctly replies to Fox's chattering queries: "Occasionally, I like some quiet time." As Fox tries to join Bear's quiet time, the small red critter's idiosyncratic interpretation of "quiet" leads to paws on the head, rolled eyes and other hints of ursine distress. Eventually, Bear is moved to firmer, although never intimidating tactics. By the time Goose rejoins the trio, Bear and Fox have attained agreementor have they? Short on words and long on expressive artworka charming addition to a winning series for little ones. (Picture book. 2-6) Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Booklist Review
Bloom's ever-adorable trio of animal playmates give the idea of quiet time a reworking. Where's Bear? Over there. Learning that Bear sometimes likes to be alone, hyperactive little Fox announces a like fondness for solitude and trots over to share Bear's. Unsurprisingly, Fox's version of quiet sitting includes questions, humming, twirling, and whooshing like the wind. At last, Bear loudly requests a bit of peace, whereupon Fox obligingly falls sleep but then Goose, feeling lonely, wanders over to ask if Bear is done being alone. Having the patience of a saint, Bear looks on with a fond smile as Fox and Goose exchange the wing-and-paw equivalent of a high five in the final scene. As in previous outings, the dialogue amounts to just a few short comments and sounds, and the equally elemental illustrations place fuzzy-surfaced figures against plain color fields of snowy white and rich dark blue. As Bear can stand in for a sibling, a friend, or even a parent, the episode presents opportunities aplenty for follow-up discussions.--Peters, John Copyright 2014 Booklist