I am a sucker for bear stories and this is a delightful one that I am excited to add to my repertoire.

The book begins with "Lily loved to draw." and draw she does, a colorful, joyful series of paintings until she draws a teddy bear...and he comes to life! Bear is adorable, with a plump tummy, scratchy brown fur, and sweet flushed cheeks, the perfect accompaniment to sweet Lily with her striped shirt, tutu, and dark brown hair. Together they explore, imagine, and play all day long, first in Lily's human world and then in Bear's forest. Finally, it's time for bed and under a dark blue, star-speckled sky they settle down for sweet dreams together.

The endpapers are created from the author's daughter's artwork and the whole book is a wonderful celebration of art and imagination, from the viewpoint of a child. The simple text makes this accessible for young audiences and a fun choice for storytime, one-on-one reading, or a lovely bedtime story.

Verdict: A joyous celebration of imagination, art, and bears. What could be better? Recommended.

ISBN: 9781481444163; Published 2015 by Paula Wiseman/Simon & Schuster; Borrowed from another library in my consortium