February 18, 2013
Little Cub and her polar bear family are back, in this Easter-themed addition to the God Gave Us You series. The bear and her father go for a woodland walk as Papa explains the meaning of Easter (“Out of death comes life. That’s how God wants us to see Easter”). The bears’ wintry climate is hardly a typical setting for a discussion of Easter, but the idea of Jesus “whispering” in Little Cub’s heart is evocative and imaginative (“To hear Jesus, it takes a special kind of listening,” her father tells her). Bryant’s predominantly blue-and-white palette is remarkably varied, and underneath Bergren’s simple story about animals lays sophisticated theology about God’s intentions. Ages 3–7.
January 1, 2013
Bergren and Bryant attempt to explain Easter to young children in a gentle, nonthreatening manner, with partial success. When Little Cub questions her father about Easter, Papa Bear explains the religious significance of the holiday in various symbolic ways to his cub. He uses familiar things from their world, such as an egg and a fallen tree, to draw parallels with aspects of the Christian story. Papa Bear discusses his close relationships with Jesus and God, encouraging Little Cub to communicate with God on her own. The theme focuses on the renewal of life and the positive aspects of loving God and Jesus. Easter is presented as a celebration of eternal life, but the story skirts the issue of the crucifixion entirely. Some adults will find this an inadequate or even dishonest approach to the Easter story, but others will appreciate the calm and soothing text as a way to begin to understand a difficult subject. Bryant's charming watercolor illustrations of the polar bear family, their cozy home and snowy forest scenes add to the overall mellow effect. Fans of this popular series will find this a rewarding addition to family Easter celebrations. (Religion/picture book. 3-6)
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July 1, 2013
Papa Bear tells Little Cub that secular Easter symbols are tools to help us remember God's message of love. Papa touches on a wide range of theological topics, and the text is more complicated than the kid-friendly illustrations would suggest. There's not much of a story or any character development; this book will appeal mainly to adults explaining their faith to children.
(Copyright 2013 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)