#365PictureBooks 22. Nightbear by Rebecca Patterson

Patterson, R. (2014). Nightbear. London, UK: Jonathan Cape.

ISBN: 9781780080086
Pages: 32
Age Level: Early Childhood 0-6
Genre: Picture Storybook
Rating: 4 stars

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Nightbear is an old bear.  He has been around for a very long time.  His first owners didn't love him so they gave him away and then he sat for years on the shelf in a charity shop.  One day a little girl bought him and took him home to meet all her other bears.  They all had important jobs but there was nothing for Nightbear to do.  How knows he can be special ... but how? 

This is a gorgeous story, told in the first person by Nightbear himself, about his life as a bear.  It's kind of like a diary.  It is quite a humorous story and leaves you with a warm fuzzy feeling at the end.  Beware though ... there are sad bits - like when he gets put in a bag and given away! :-(  With themes of individuality, rejection, Love and acceptance, readers will be able to emphasise with the bears feelings.

The illustrations are colourful and messy.  The backgrounds are all in white or muted shades, which makes the main illustrations show up really clearly.  The images all have an ink outline, but the colouring is painted 'over the lines' - just like kids would do.  They really work with the story ... it's as if Nightbear has illustrated his own book.  Oooh, and it's got a sparkly cover!

Rebecca Patterson was the 2012 winner of the Roald Dahl Funny Prize.

A lovely book for a bedtime read or to read to younger children when they are feeling left out with no friends to play with.

I got my copy of Nightbear from the Taradale Primary School library where I work. 

You can find a copy at Napier Libraries.