Where’s Bearry?

The disappearance of a beloved stuffie called Bearry sends a youth on a frenzied domestic hunt in this exuberant rhyming story from Gatto and Flowers. Upon discovering the bear’s absence at bedtime, the pale-skinned human protagonist declares, “I’ll search this house from top to bottom,/ and not rest until I’ve got him.” The ensuing search encompasses locations including the playroom, a laundry hamper, a fruit bowl, the fishbowl, and the litter box. When frantic searching proves unproductive, the child pivots to a different approach involving breathwork (“If I calm down, it’ll all be okay./ Where am I forgetting that I’ve gone today?”). The more meditative tack predictably wins the day as Bearry’s comforting presence gives way to a successful tuck-in. Slickly styled comics have saturated coloring and smudgy shading. The exaggerated scenes energetically add humor through the protagonist’s wide-eyed expressions, which communicate an initial and growing panic in response to Bearry’s absence and a joyful glow as the tale winds down. Ages 4–8. (Sept.)