Teddy Bear of the Year

VanSickle takes teddy bears’ work seriously in this fanciful story. Ollie, who is on the clock beginning “weekdays at three,” loves his gig as a teddy bear. One night, a ship arrives outside his girl’s window, and a grizzled teddy escorts Ollie to a fairy-like setting deep in the woods: his first-ever teddy bears’ picnic, featuring new friends, sweets, and even “bearaoke.” When a ceremony recognizing “excellence in teddy-care” begins, Ollie fears he’s too “ordinary” to be acknowledged but soon receives the “Teddy Bear of the Year” award for excelling at the teddy-care ABCs (“Always Be Cuddling”). VanSickle amuses with on-the-job lingo, and Hanson’s enchanted scenes highlight teddies’ ability to comfort. Ages 3–7. (Jan.)