"A Bear is a Bear (Except when he's not) by Karl Newson and Anuska Allepuz (Nosy Crow)

Meet a cuddly, happy, well meaning but completely muddle-headed bear. Or is he actually a bear at all?
"A Bear is a Bear (except when he's not" from Karl Newson and Anuska Allepuz is a fun story that, by happy coincidence, is out today.

Bear is a little bit confused, you see the poor thing has actually forgotten what he is.

He's obviously not a bird - his big bum squishes just about any birds nest (and he's not very keen on being force-fed worms either).

He's definitely not a squirrel. Though he can climb trees he's not exactly nimble on his feet.

But what IS bear? As the seasons change from Autumn to Winter he might just have the answer...but a good long hibernation will definitely ease his troubled mind, and he'll wake up refreshed in the spring, knowing exactly what he is (and doing what bears really do best, much to the annoyance of bees!)

This is a jaunty story with such an endearing central character that it's impossible not to love Bear. The rhymes are absolutely gorgeous, flowing off the tongue as we read this one aloud - and the illustrations are perfect too.

Brilliant stuff from Karl and Anuska!

C's best bit: Squirrel Bear - and Bear's rather naughty thieving at the end of the book!

Daddy's favourite bit: A great little rhyming story that's a pleasure to read aloud. For bear lovers everywhere!

"A Bear is a Bear (except when he's not)" by Karl Newson and Anuska Allepuz is out now, published by Nosy Crow (kindly supplied for review).