Found by Salina Yoon (review)
Buy Issue for $25 at JHUP- Found by Salina Yoon
When young Bear finds a left-behind stuffed bunny in the woods, he tries to find its owner, putting up “FOUND” flyers and searching the area. While waiting for the bunny’s owner to turn up, Bear takes excellent care of the little rabbit, bringing it on picnics and bike rides and giving it its own little blanket at bedtime. Bear has mixed feelings, then, when Moose recognizes the bunny as his beloved Floppy. A tearful Bear prepares to give up the bunny, but Moose surprises him by being ready to pass his special toy on: “Will you take good care of Floppy for me?” While some [End Page 484] stuffed-animal lovers may not buy Moose’s willingness to part with his trusty plush pal, most kids will be relieved that Bear gets to keep Floppy after all. The simplicity of the storytelling and language is nicely matched by the large san serif font and the bright, blocky digital pictures. Heavy black outlines and flecks of black, accent the crayon-box hues of the art, and cinnamon-y brown Bear and white, patched, and aptly named “Floppy” are as cute as can be (Bear is particularly winning in his fire-engine-red bike helmet). Yoon also tucks in funny touches, as in the panoply of “LOST” posters on a bulletin board, which include the following pleas: “LOST: My marbles! Help!” and “Lost My Hat. I want it back” (which, with the conical red hat pictured, is a clear and clever nod to Klassen’s I Want My Hat Back, BCCB 11/11). Pair this with Willems’ Knuffle Bunny Free: An Unexpected Diversion (BCCB 12/10) for a look at stuffed toys graduating to new adventures, or simply snuggle up with a favorite stuffed pal for a cozy lap read.
