Tree-huggers rejoice! Here is an environmental allegory that relies on humor—in illustrations as well as text—rather than heavy-handed didacti cism. Big Bear was “so filled with love and happiness” that he hugged every living thing in the forest—even “creatures that bears have been known to eat.” However, when a man with an axe attacks one of the forest’s most mag nificent specimens, Bear no longer feels like hugging. The story is perfectly paced so that page turns provide opportunities for prediction and surprise. Oldland’s subdued palette of greens and blues, accented by bear and his red bird companion, focuses readers’ eyes on facial expressions that add to the comical layer to this tale . lmp

A huge bear is wandering through the forest - but wait a minute! Who's that he's hugging? A beaver? And a moose? And a bird? And a tree?

Welcome to the world of Big Bear Hug, a contemporary fable about a bear who has an appetite for hugging everything in sight - even creatures that bears have been known to eat. One day, the benevolent bear meets up with a human. This human proceeds to do something the bear cannot understand: he raises his axe and begins to cut down a tree. Suddenly the bear doesn't feel like hugging anymore and must make a difficult decision on how to stop this destruction in his forest.

The environmental message of Big Bear Hug is both funny and powerful, while simple enough to engage very young children and show them the awesome power of a hug.