There, There by Sam McBratney (review)

Little Hansie Bear is not having an easy day: he falls into a deep ditch and bangs his knee while trying to walk like a duck, gets sand blown into his eyes while digging a hole, and bumps his head on a branch while pushing his pal on the swing. Each time, however, Hansie's dad is there to offer comfort with a hug, a "there, there," and a specific suggestion for solving each problem (a bandage for the banged knee, blinking to get the sand out of Hansie's eyes, and rubbing for the bump on his head). When Dad comes home with a thorn in his foot, Hansie knows just what to do (after Mom pulls out the thorn): "He gave his dad one of his tightest hugs ever. And then Hansie said, 'There, there, we'll be all right now.'" This could have been overly sentimental, but McBratney keeps it real with concise and natural language: when Dad comes home with a hurt foot, Hansie sympathetically asks, "Were you trying to walk like a duck?" while his father responds wryly, "I was not trying to walk like a duck." Kids who have suffered their own playground injuries will also relate to the commonality of the accidents that befall Hansie ("Hansie bumped his head on a branch, and it was a hard bump") and will appreciate Dad's ever-present gentle assistance. The soft autumnal tones and softly scribbled detail in the flora and fauna of Bates' mixed-media illustrations effectively echo the gentleness of the text. Hansie is a cuddly little brown cub, and his red shirt contrasts nicely with Dad's yellow-green plaid jacket and well-worn straw hat. Families and classrooms will find this a solid offering for days when kids need a bit of comforting.