Lily and Bear

Lily loves to draw, and when her crayon-sketched bear comes off the page and into real life, she finally has a friend to share her favorite things with: playing make-believe, attending tea parties, and “sail[ing] carpet seas” as pirates. Eventually, Bear is ready for something new, and he leads Lily outdoors and shares his world with her. Stubbs shows them catching fish, eating huckleberries, “and scratch[ing] their backs on a knotty pine” until the day is done and they curl up to dream of future adventures. The charming, childlike style of Lily’s crayoned art gives way to the screenprint-meets-scratchboard look of newcomer Stubbs’s mixed-media work, giving the book a playful freshness. The cheerful palette, which looks like it could have sprung directly from Lily’s crayon pail, is well suited to this upbeat story of young friendship. The contrast between Lily and Bear’s indoor and outdoor worlds, as well as the willingness with which both friends participate in things the other loves, creates a strong sense that all good friendships require a little give and take. Ages 4–8. [em]Agent: Jodie Hodges, United Agents. (Sept.) [/em]