SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL

BART, Kathleen. Town Teddy & Country Bear Go Global. illus. by author.
Reverie. 2011. $16.95. ISBN 978-1-932485-60-8.
LC 2010940618.

K-Gr 3-
Bandana Bear and Tuxedo Teddy, two very different cousins, take a world tour of well-known natural and cultural sites. They visit great man-made structures like Machu Picchu, the Eiffel Tower, and the Taj Mahal and explore natural wonders like the Great Barrier Reef and the Arctic Wildlife Refuge. With several more stops along the way, the bears land on six of the seven continents, only missing Antarctica. A spread is devoted to each locale as the storied text transports the bears from one destination to another, with a mix of fact and fiction. Additional information and environmental concerns are found in sidebars. The high-end vocabulary stretches interest level and expands the world for young readers. Uncomplicated illustrations in sharp, clear colors provide a simple, yet recognizable visual of each location. Besides conveying the excitement of travel, the text and pictures capture the bears in a few fun missteps. Readers will be able to follow their travels on a simplified map on the title page. With a good balance of fact and fiction (and a clear delineation of each), this is a good choice for today's global children.

-Carolyn Janssen, Public Library of Cincinnati and Hamilton County, OH
 

*Selected as an Editor's Choice Highlighted Title by the Independent Publisher.
Jim Barnes, Independent Publisher Editor writes:

"When Kathleen Bart releases a new book, teddy bear lovers of the world rejoice. Her charming town and country bears are back, and this time they're touring the globe! We all have special places in our hearts and imaginations for teddy bears, so it's appropriate for Tuxedo Teddy and Bandanna Bear to share their adventures in exotic locales like the Great Pyramids, Machu Picchu and the Taj Mahal. Bart's inventive storytelling and spectacular artwork combine to create a classic picture book that's both entertaining and informative, sure to bring out the dreamer in readers of all ages."