THE FIRST BEAR IN AFRICA!

The African savanna is the setting for this lighthearted story about new experiences. Meto is a small boy who lives with his family and animals in a very small village. A tourist family comes to visit and Meto thinks they look funny wearing all those clothes and using their photographic machines. But he shows his goat to the little girl visitor, who, it seems, must love animals since she has one in her arms wearing a bright ribbon around its neck. After the visit, Meto discovers that the little girl has left her animal behind and he runs to catch up with the family. He asks the hippopotami, the elephants, and the giraffes if they have seen them and each asks to see what Meto is carrying. Meto rides on the giraffe’s back with all of the animals hurrying behind and finally, just before the family boards the plane, he returns the animal to the little girl who cries out, “ ‘My bear! My bear!’ ” In return, she gives Meto her red hair ribbon for his goat. “Bear! That must be the name of the little animal!” “ ‘The first bear in all of Africa,’ ” says the lion cub. “ ‘How extraordinary!’ they all marvel.” Soft, gentle watercolors exactly suit the story and highlight the charming denizens that Meto meets on his journey. The tourists and Meto’s family are depicted in a friendly atmosphere, with all of them posing for a photo before departing. A satisfying idea that will delight young children and a text that adults will not mind reading again, as they surely will be asked to do. (Picture book. 3-5)