Starred Review ALA Booklist (Fri Apr 01 00:00:00 CDT 2011)

Starred Review Hayes, the Geisel Award winning cartoonist of Benny and Penny in the Big No No! (2009) and two other Benny and Penny books, offers emerging readers another beginning comic book that's pure charm. Three short stories follow wee bear Patrick as he picnics with his mother, gets the better of naptime, and stands up to a bully. The bears have an endearing physicality, as though they could bounce right off the page and into plush, squeezable life, and Hayes displays a keen awareness of the volatility of a child's moods ich flip from manic bursts of energy and hilarity to touching tenderness d their inexhaustible ability to channel pure focus into a new activity practically every other minute. In the title story, Patrick darts around dynamically composed and crayon-colored pages, moving readers' eyes up and down the page and left and right as he scares birds, chases a balloon, inspects a ladybug, and plays with a toy boat in the stream before splashing his way home through every puddle he can find. The rich vocabulary talks to kids on their own level but will also gently push their reading abilities. Endpapers offer parents and teachers tips for reading comics with kids and ideas on using them to turn reading into a fun, participatory activity. Sure to be a favorite in any kids' collection.

Horn Book (Mon Aug 01 00:00:00 CDT 2011)

Following the 2010 Gulf Coast oil spill, eleven-year-old aspiring ornithologist and "bird artist" Bouler created paintings in exchange for donations to the clean-up effort. Here she shares her love of birding, her own conservation efforts, and ways for others to take action. Though content is a little sparse, the book's message and design--including impressive original sketches--will successfully reach young environmentalists. Websites.

Kirkus Reviews

Hayes, the Geisel Award–winning creator of the Benny and Penny stories (Benny and Penny in the Big No-No, 2009, etc.) introduces a new character in this collection of short graphic stories. Patrick, a young bear, goes on a picnic with his mother that ends up taking place inside due to rain, learns to deal with a bully and takes—or doesn't take—a nap. The vocabulary is just right, featuring many of the sight words that kids in kindergarten and first grade are expected to know, and the softly colored cartoon format is appealing. The fact that it's a collection makes it even more accessible—ambitious readers can tackle the whole thing at once; those just starting out can read one at a time. However, the content seems a bit young for the intended audience; those ready to read this are long past naptime, and Patrick's best friend still seems to be his mother, making this perhaps a better choice for kids learning to read at an especially young age rather than the early-elementary crowd. For the most part, though, the format, vocabulary and art work well here to encourage kids to read on their own and have fun doing it. (Graphic early reader. 4-6)

School Library Journal (Fri Jul 01 00:00:00 CDT 2011)

K-Gr 2 This graphic presentation has short sentences, repetition, minimal characters, and one to four panels per page. Colored-pencil and pen-and-ink cartoon illustrations provide a detailed look at the bears' world-from the mirrored reflection in their tiny cottage to tiny creatures along garden paths. Figures and objects spill over cell borders without restriction onto the page. The title story follows Patrick and his mother as they plan and prepare for a picnic. The cub's actions are typically those of a young childhe is curious, imaginative, easily pleased or disappointed, and adventurous. Emotions are clearly read on faces: readers can see Patrick as he is stubborn or joyful, but his mother's face occasionally shows frustration and anger, not understanding. This collection also includes a bully, Big Bear, who pops Patrick's balloon in one story and demands his cookies in another. Patrick finally stands up to him and calls forth his inner "dragon" for courage, but resorts to name-calling after the confrontation. Speech bubbles and easily followed illustration prompts remain good teaching tools for emerging readers, but this title also calls for discussion of how Patrick handles his own feelings and actions. A general purchase for most libraries. Mary Elam, Learning Media Services, Plano ISD, TX