Can You See a Little Bear?

‘Can You See a Little Bear?‘ is such a clever picture book. James Mayhew has created a rich, undulating journey of rhyming comparisons. At the end of each, readers are asked to find Little Bear. The choice of animals within each double page is curious too, e.g, ‘Giraffes are tall,/ guinea- pigs are short’ or ‘Snakes are thin, a walrus is fat’… They’re not natural page fellows! The language is so ripe for exploring!

The task of finding Little Bear within the pictures is not straightforward within Jackie Morris’s almost Persian-lush settings! There are hints of the circus, of Breughel, of something other-worldly! These alongside the text suggest ‘Can You See a Little Bear?’ as a wonderful story for exploring at bedtime. It would be a superb gift, the sort of book that you would share, keep and love- a ‘forever’ book.