BIG BEAR BALL

Outlandishly dressed bears of all shapes and sizes romp and stomp at their monthly ball in this rollicking pairing of simple rhyming text and lusciously detailed, energetic illustrations. The party begins in the moonlit forest as bears arrive in helium balloons, munch berries, play fiddles and trumpets, and dance wildly. Even a shy bear is coaxed into participating. They stomp to waken moles, dance arm-in-arm down to the stream, logroll, and wrestle a crocodile, all with beatific grins and wild looks on their faces. Moles, frogs, the croc, and some foxes join in the fracas in a hilarious spread portraying the animals bowing to their partners in a beastly square dance as the fiddler bear plays a good-night tune. Then the bears float off in their balloons into a vivid sunrise, already looking forward to next month’s full moon. The large typeface and brilliant colors encourage group sharing—and stomping. (Picture book. 3-6)