A Bear to Share

Inspired by national children’s nonprofit Baby2Baby, co-CEOs Sawyer Patricof and Weinstein team up with ambassador Alba to relay this kindhearted, if predictable, story. Tiana, a child with brown skin and two dark braids, has loved her teddy bear Bach for so long and so much that he is missing an eye and has stuffing coming out of his neck. When a new teddy arrives to take Bach’s place, Tiana confides in her redheaded, bespectacled pal Timothy about her dilemma—only to discover that “toys aren’t a pri-o-ri-ty” in Timothy’s cash-strapped household. Más presents digital illustrations in a vibrant color palette, immersing readers in Tiana’s world. Prose veers on didactic at times (“And although things can be unfair and unequal, it doesn’t mean we can’t do something about it”), but the anticipated moral holds true: sometimes giving feels better than receiving. Front matter features a creators’ note. Ages 4–8. (Oct.)