Where's Bearry?

July 15, 2024
In this picture book from comedian Gatto, a little one embarks on a nighttime detective caper while also learning some calming techniques. Tucked into bed, a light-skinned youngster with a mop of brown hair is almost ready to go to sleep, but something's missing. Eyes wide, mouth agape, the child wonders, "Where's Bearry?" The snuggly teddy is lost. Armed with a household map and magnifying glass and trailed by a pup sidekick, the tot searches high and low. "He's not in the playroom / with my robot and blocks. / He's not in the hamper / with all the stinky socks." More searching comes up empty, and the increasingly distraught narrator worries, "Maybe he took a trip on the ferry? / Oh no! I'm freaking out! // WHERE'S BEARRY?!?!" Luckily, the youngster remembers to take a deep breath and count down from three. These actions help soothe the intrepid detective, and suddenly, all becomes clear. (Spoiler alert: Bearry is found.) The jaunty, singsong text trips up a bit here and there but propels the mystery forward. Flowers' colorful art captures the wide range of emotions the youngster experiences: sadness, panic, serenity, and relief. Relatable bedtime fare.(Picture book. 3-6)

COPYRIGHT(2024) Kirkus Reviews, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

August 12, 2024
The disappearance of a beloved stuffie called Bearry sends a youth on a frenzied domestic hunt in this exuberant rhyming story from Gatto and Flowers. Upon discovering the bear’s absence at bedtime, the pale-skinned human protagonist declares, “I’ll search this house from top to bottom,/ and not rest until I’ve got him.” The ensuing search encompasses locations including the playroom, a laundry hamper, a fruit bowl, the fishbowl, and the litter box. When frantic searching proves unproductive, the child pivots to a different approach involving breathwork (“If I calm down, it’ll all be okay./ Where am I forgetting that I’ve gone today?”). The more meditative tack predictably wins the day as Bearry’s comforting presence gives way to a successful tuck-in. Slickly styled comics have saturated coloring and smudgy shading. The exaggerated scenes energetically add humor through the protagonist’s wide-eyed expressions, which communicate an initial and growing panic in response to Bearry’s absence and a joyful glow as the tale winds down. Ages 4–8.