Mother Bruce

Booklist (December 1, 2015 (Online))

Preschool-Kindergarten. Bruce the bear is a grump. He doesn’t like company. Or sunshine. Or rain. What he does like is eggs and finding new fancy ways of preparing them—yes, Bruce has the Internet and a stove. He is a very modern bear. Readers will no doubt start giggling as they see Bruce push his shopping cart through the forest to collect the necessary ingredients—honey straight from the hive (“He liked to support local business”), salmon, and, of course, goose eggs. Having obtained everything he needs, he heads home and gets ready to cook. But, then, wouldn’t you know it? The eggs hatch! This results in the grumpiest Bruce yet, and hilarity ensues as he attempts to get the baby geese, who are convinced he is their mother, to leave him alone. Comic illustrations range from full-page paintings to spot illustrations and panels that combine to show Bruce’s schemes to rid himself of the geese, culminating in a silly but sweet conclusion. This case of mistaken identity will lend itself to a fun-filled storytime.