BAILEY THE BEAR CUB

A young bear cub takes his first faltering steps towards autonomy at the gentle urging of his mother. Bailey finds life quite delightful being dependent upon someone else. She fetches tasty treats for him and is his constant companion. However, when his demands for nourishment exceed what his mother can provide, she tells her young cub he must forage for his own food. Bailey’s fledging attempts at independence leave him disenchanted and convinced that behaving like a grown-up isn’t all that terrific: the bees surrounding the honey intimidate him, the roots are too far down in the hard, muddy ground, and fishing isn’t even to be considered. However, with sheer hunger bolstering his resolve, Bailey tries again and is met with sweet success. Kuiper’s tale embraces the spirit of the old adage “if at first you don’t succeed . . . ” Verstegen’s ethereal, pastel-hued watercolors are a soothing compliment to the text. Gently blurred images convey a sense of tranquillity that is echoed by the soft palette of colors. An encouraging tale for little ones toddling towards self-reliance. (Picture book. 4-8)