Archive | February 4, 2021

Bears Don’t Wear Shoes

Bears Don't Wear Shoes

Bears Don’t Wear Shoes

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Bears Don’t Wear Shoes

Sharon Davey

New Frontier, 2020

32pp., hbk., RRP $A24.99

9781922326096

When your family has just moved house, towns, even countries there is so much for the grown-ups to do that they don’t have time to play with Suzy.  So, being resourceful, Suzy puts a notice on her back gate seeking a friend but there are some criteria they have to meet.  When Bear turns up Suzy interviews him and it appears he ticks all the boxes except when it comes to dressing up, Bear refuses to wear shoes.  But Suzy loves shoes.  Can she be friends with someone who doesn’t like all the things she does?

This is a highly-imaginative story with lots of detail in the illustrations that just beg for little eyes to explore them and really get to know Suzy and her family. But it also poses the question about whether our friends have to like and do the same things we do. Should we force our friends to be the same as us or is there room for compromise or even the possibility of expanding our own horizons? 

A thought-provoking read-aloud that is just right for this time of the year when new friendships are being explored and little ones are learning about how to be a friend and how we should treat others.