Based on family records from the late 1700s, the story of a human child cared for by a wild animal recounts the experience of three-year-old Sarah Whitcher, who was lost for several days in the New Hampshire woods and found through the dreams of a stranger. Rather sentimental, with nice pictures of woods, bear, and life of the period.

In 1783, three-year-old Sarah Whitcher (the authors' great- great-great-great-great-aunt) wandered into the woods near Warren, New Hampshire; four days later, she was found by a man who had dreamed that she under a particular pine, guarded by a bear. Some of the searchers—who found Sarah surrounded by bear tracks—recorded this experience, as did Sarah herself, years later. Alternating between Sarah's journey (unafraid of the endearingly gentle animal because she thinks it's a ``big black dog,'' she curls up next to it and goes to sleep) and the family and neighbors' search, the authors re-create the incident in a simple, direct narrative enlivened with dialogue and authentic detail. Rand's settings—especially the darkening forest, in luminous shades of gray-green, and the soft, furry bear—are beautifully painted; his humans are a bit trite and over-pretty, but that's a small flaw in an unusually appealing slice of Americana. (Picture book. 4-8)"

On a warm afternoon in June 1783, Sarah Whitcher got lost in the woods. Determined to follow her parents to a nearby Vermont farm rather than stay home with her sister and brothers, little Sarah toddles down the path and loses her way. A large black bear, whom Sarah mistakes for a big dog, finds her, befriends her, and stays with her for three nights in the forest. Meanwhile, friends and neighbors search fruitlessly until a man appears at the cabin door and offers to lead the child's mother to the place he's dreamed about for three nights. In his dream, Sarah is guarded by a bear. Found by the dreamer, she's greeted with great rejoicing. Based on a true incident that happened to Kinsey-Warnock's great-great-great-great-great-aunt, this story provides a glimpse of New England in the years following the Revolution. Competent writing makes a viable picture book out of the incident, while Rand's appealing watercolor illustrations bring out the drama and emotion of the story. A possible read-aloud choice for the classroom. (Reviewed Aug. 1993)