Children's Book Review: What Bear Said About Life, Love, & Other Stuff by Jack Wiens

I love finding books that families can read and enjoy together! Today, I have a wonderful, family-friendly, children's book that is perfect for the reading list or as a gift idea! Check out What Bear Said, learn about author Jack Wiens, read my thoughts on the book & enter the book tour giveaway at the end of this post!

​Book Title:  What Bear Said about Life, Love, and Other Stuff by Jack Wiens
Category:  Children's Fiction (Ages 3-7),  98 pages
Genre: Juvenile fiction/picture book/values & virtues
Publisher: Torchflame Books
Release date:  October 15, 2024
Content Rating: G. Specifically for children.

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About the Book

The boy has a lot of questions—hard ones about love, honesty, grief and loss, prejudice, forgiveness, why we are here, and more.

Bear's wise answers are always offered with compassion and enthusiasm. The friendship between these two is deep, tender, and sometimes fun. Bear's clear, common-sense philosophy of life is a welcome contrast to the complex world our children face today.

On the beautifully illustrated pages, you will also meet Jay, Raccoon, Badger, Elder Moose, and others who add to the fun and adventure.

Walk with Boy and Bear for a while in the woods and see what you might learn about life, love and other stuff.

​This uplifting book will surely become a treasured collection of simple wisdom, inspiring rich, meaningful conversations between adults and children alike. 

 

 

My Review

 

 

What Bear Said About Life, Love & Other Stuff Offers Short Life Lessons in a Child-Friendly Format. The easy-to-read, easy-to-understand, question-and-answer writing style offers a question that a child likely has--and provides Bear's wise answer to that question. Some questions are answered within a page; some (like one of the questions about grief) cover a couple of pages. The answers work well as standalone pieces of advice for a child reading alone, but they also serve as excellent launching points for conversations on a variety of important topics and life skills!

The illustrations Strengthen Each Page. From pages with emotional expressions to pages that hold a reassuring hug, the illustrations set a peaceful, natural tone throughout the book. The book and the illustrations set up a relaxing, safe space to discuss tough topics.  Bear sounds and looks like a calm, trusted, supportive friend!

 

Would I Recommend What Bear Said About Life,  Love & Other Stuff by Jack Wiens? This is such a great little book! As a parent, I think it represents so many of the fears, doubts and worries that children face, and it puts them into words. Then--Bear offers some supportive advice. Whether you buy this for an older child to read alone or to use a family read-along, the book is full of valuable advice on topics ranging from friendship to prejudice. I would suggest using the pages of the book as conversation starters. Bear's short answers are clear and concise--but, they open the door for both more questions from a child and more in-depth answers from the parent or caregiver. This is a great book to give as a gift. It is a children's book that adults will find engaging and helpful as well!

 

Buy the Book

 

Amazon 
B&N ~ Bookshop.org
​add to Goodreads

 

Meet the Author

 
Jack Wiens has illustrated over 40 children’s books and designed many book covers, a family magazine, curriculum materials and greeting cards. He has also exhibited his fine art in galleries and art shows in Colorado, Missouri and Oregon.

Jack earned a Masters degree in Marriage and Family Therapy and worked as a counselor for 34 years in private practice as well as in a hospital inpatient addictions program and mental health centers. He led many workshops on communication, relationships and self-care during his career as psychotherapist.

​He lives in Ashland, Oregon, where he enjoys the natural beauty of nearby mountains, lakes and rivers, the creative energy of the community and good friendships. Besides hiking, biking and tennis, a favorite activity is exploring the Oregon coast and whale watching in Depoe Bay.

connect with the author: website 

 

Enter the Giveaway

WHAT BEAR SAID ABOUT LIFE LOVE AND OTHER STUFF Book Tour Giveaway