Make a Wish Bear

PreS-K—The fourth book about this little bear finds him venturing out into a snowy twilight and wishing on the first star. As he sits patiently, his animal friends join him one by one, asking what he's doing. When Bear responds that he's waiting for his wish to come true, each pal comes up with a helpful suggestion for expediting the event, such as closing his eyes or holding his breath. Finally, with all of his friends gathered around him, Bear confesses that, all along, his wish was to be with them. The story is laid out on full spreads, with the background remaining relatively constant from page to page-the little bear and friends in a snowy field with some pines in the distance. There are, however, some pleasantly subtle differences from scene to scene-gentle pastels of the winter sky that transform from light aqua to serene purple; gradually emerging stars, their numbers increasing with every page; the comical poses of the animals as they try to help the bear get his wish. As with previous books, the spare text is printed in large letters. This slight but sweet tale is a good choice for Bear's youngest admirers.—Yelena Alekseyeva-Popova, formerly at Chappaqua Library, NY