Big Brown Bear Goes to Town (review)

Big Brown Bear is a good friend—when he finds that Rat's rat-sized yellow convertible has filled up with rainwater, he empties it, saving Rat the trouble of bailing. Upon hearing that Rat has no place dry to keep his auto, Bear gets an idea and travels with Rat into town, where he takes money from the bank for a secret purchase at the hardware store: a nice watertight mailbox, just the right size for Rat to park his car in. The story (conveniently broken into four baby chapters that make it suitable for novice readers as well as listening audiences) is gently told, emphasizing homey warmth rather than plot impact. What's truly inviting here is the cozy world McPhail creates, with its sweetly inconsistent realism reminiscent of play drama with stuffed animals: Bear is bear-sized, but he easily catches a ride by standing on the trunk of Rat's little wind-up car, which Rat drives right up to the teller's window in the bank; Bear saunters through town in his pajamas, slippers, and sleeping cap; the town dogs with whom Rat seems to be engaging in amusing conversation become enthusiastic car-chasing pooches when the Ratmobile departs. The draftsmanship has a respectfully formal touch that adds to the realism, especially in the various humans wandering through Bear and Rat's world, but the focus is definitely on the animals. Kids looking for a warm tale of friendship with a little zippy transportation thrown in will want to ride along with Bear and Rat.