A Boy and A Bear in a Boat
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5.0 • 1 Rating
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- $7.99
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- $7.99
Publisher Description
A boy and a bear go to sea, equipped with a suitcase, a comic book, and a ukulele. The bear assures the boy that they are traveling a short distance and it really shouldn't take very long. But then they encounter "unforeseeable anomalies": turbulent stormy seas! a terrifying sea monster! and the rank remains of The Very Last Sandwich. The odds are pitted against the boy and the bear and their boat.
Will the Harriet, their trusted vessel, withstand the violent lashings of the salty waves? And will anyone ever answer their message in a bottle?
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
The phrase "Keep Calm and Carry On" encapsulates the viewpoint and placid tone of this quietly comedic adventure in which an unnamed boy and bear traverse the open sea in a rowboat and form an unlikely friendship. For British author/illustrator Shelton, it's all about the journey: neither the intended destination nor the reason for the trip is specified. The boy simply climbs into the bear's boat, asks for a ride "Just over to the other side, please," and off they go. Days later, they're still at it, with nothing but sea and sky in sight. The essential tension comes from the relationship between the two as they face such challenges as storms, hunger, and a sea monster, and alternate between irritation with and affection for each other. Shelton's grayscale illustrations appear throughout, along with a few well-chosen color paintings, such as scenes from an inexplicable comic book the boy reads: "It seemed to be just one episode of a longer story.... There was no way of knowing what had gone on before or what would happen after." Readers won't miss the parallel. Ages 8 12.
