Have you ever felt like no one really understands you?
Have you ever wondered what life might be like if you just set off and found someone who did?
Archie and the Bear by Zanni Louise is a wonderful tale about friendship, being yourself and acceptance.
I really love this book. I have read it to classes during library time and to my own children many many times.
There is so much to gather from this story, as mentioned above, but overall it is just a really lovely story.
Archie is a bear (but he is really a boy) who goes wondering out into the forest with his homemade honey sandwiches. He meets a friendly boy (who is really a bear) and together they nibble on honey sandwiches and teach each other different things.
As the night grows dark they try to keep each other warm but end up returning to Archie’s house where they sleep warmly by the fire under a warm quilt.
The friendship between the bear and the boy is enviable, they take care of each other, are gentle to each other despite both knowing that they are clearly not what they say they are and they love hanging out together.
Friendship, acceptance and kindness are traits that we want to encourage in our children and this book really shows this in a subtle way.
We need to learn to accept people for who they are, accept people for what they believe in and accept them into our lives even if they are different.
David Mackintosh’s illustrations are bold and simple. They show enough of the story but don’t overload the page. The use of watercolors in the background help the reader to focus more on the main characters and the actions they are taking.
Not only does this book have a calming effect as we watch the friendship blossom, it also shows us how simple life and friendship can be.
Archie and the Bear is a beautiful read, definitely one for your bookshelf!
