IN MY DEN

A little felt brown-bear finger-puppet provides the narration in this companion to In My Pond and In My Nest (both 2009). Centered among concentric die-cuts that represent its den under a tree and environs, the little bear describes its home: “In my den I roll in soft, warm earth, / I put down leaves and pinecones, / I look outside for twigs….” Siminovich’s collages once again enhance the effect, strewing bracken around the hole in one spread, framing the hole with a chilly snowscape in another. The finger wielding the bear will need to tug a bit to get it through the last hole, emphasizing the snugness of its den “...with my family!” Like its predecessors and its fall companion, In My Tree (ISBN: 978-0-8118-7052-8), a warm, interactive experience that doesn’t sacrifice book to gimmick. (Ages 6-18 mos.)