THE BEAR ATE YOUR SANDWICH

Who took the sandwich?

An unseen narrator explains what became of a missing sandwich in an inventive selection that places the blame on a bear—but not in the way one might expect. Lured to a pickup truck by the scent of berries, a curious black bear dines and then falls asleep in its bed. While he snoozes, he is accidentally transported to an entirely new world. Mistaking the city before him for just a different forest, he ventures out, comically behaving as if investigating a woodland environment. The telephone poles might as well be trees, and the wet cement feels a lot like mud, after all. The text plays along with the bear’s misconception, while the energetic and appealing acrylics show what the bear really sees and interacts with; children will delight in the details as well as the humor involved in spotting the disparities between the pictures and words. But wait—just who is telling this tall tale, anyway? And is said individual worthy of our trust? A trifle more explanation or pointed questioning would have made the story just about perfect, but as it stands, this enjoyable romp is sure to elicit giggles.

Young readers and listeners will laugh out loud as they closely examine the pictures and find the jokes in this highly interactive urban adventure.