The Bear Who Didn't Like Honey

Dubbed ""Scaredy Bear!"" by his brother and sisters, Little Bear is anxious about many things-the dark, the water and, most of all, honeybees. To save face, he tells his family that he's ""the Bear Who Doesn't Like Honey"" and sets off to find something to eat that's better (and less dangerous). The timid bruin soon learns the meaning of bravery, however, when he overcomes his fear of heights in order to save a cub stuck in a tree. After that, swiping honey from bees and sleeping in a dark cave no longer seem so scary. Moraes's loose, fluid watercolors pick up visually on the whimsical cues in Maitland's tale, and he fills his forest world with plump and appealing creatures. Inviting sympathy for an all-too-familiar predicament, this British import-a debut for both author and illustrator-should resonate with its audience. Ages 3-6. (Mar.)