Something about a Bear by Jackie Morris (Frances Lincoln Children's Books)

At one point or another, children are going to end up owning a bear. Be it a scruffy hand-me-down from mum and dad, or a cuddly fluffy creation fresh off the shelf of the local toy store - or best of all, a hand-knitted bear that a relative or friend has poured their time or their love into.

Children love bears and they most certainly love finding out more about real animals so it's been a privilege to be able to take a look at Jackie Morris' new book celebrating bruins and browns, grizzlies and panda. There truly is "Something about a Bear"

Jackie's books are works of art in their own right, so we don't just get to learn a little more about bears, we get to gaze at their splendour through her utterly gorgeous illustrations and gentle lilting words. In this luxurious book, children will absolutely identify their favourite bears early on and will love diving to the end of the book to see where they live, what they eat and what they get up to during their daily lives. It's a real pleasure to read, from the striking cover to the end-papers at the back.

Definitely a keeper this, and one that you can see your children hanging on to, to hand on to their children one day too.

Charlotte's best bear: It was a very close call between the Polar Bear and the Panda in this book, both are absolutely wonderfully depicted.

Daddy's Favourite bear: I've always been a real sucker for a spectacled bear myself (possibly a lot to do with Paddington books from childhood). What an utterly glorious book though, bear-illiant in fact!

(Kindly sent to us for review by Frances Lincoln Children's Books)