Mack, a bear, unexpectedly wakes up with a boy on his back. Using just three shades of orangey-brown and a single end rhyme, Bryan and Murphy build tension throughout Mack's packed day, expertly releasing it with a color addition and rhyme change when Mack finally slows down (though the author's "stop...and smell the lilacs" message is mostly for adults).

Droll cartoons become increasingly less buoyant as a repetitive rhyme consumes this otherwise nicely designed and formatted picture book. The promise of a story in the opening pages—a bewildered bear wakes in his bed to find a boy on his back—is never really fulfilled. After looking at a packed schedule, Bear takes boy (Zach) for flapjacks, to receive a plaque, watch horses race at the track—as the text scans more awkwardly with each "ack." When readers (and the protagonists) finally get to stop and "smell the lilacs," the verse seems forced. Murphy's pleasant olive brown of the busy bear, along with muted yellow backgrounds and highlights, give each two-page spread a comfortable feel—too comfortable to give meaning to the message: to slow down. The simple line drawings of bear and boy are endearing, but just can't overcome the plot deficiencies, either in text or illustration. (Picture book. 2-5)

PreS-Gr 2-This fanciful cautionary tale chronicles one day in the life of a very busy bear who awakes with a boy on his back. In a simple rhyming text, Mack describes his extraordinarily demanding schedule as the child accompanies him on his rigorous routine. Eventually, the boy intercedes and convinces Mack of the importance of taking time to smell the lilacs. This charming follow-up to A Boy and His Bunny (2005) and A Girl and Her Gator (2006, both Arcade) puts a new spin on the formula by casting the animal as the principal character. Spare, less-is-more black line drawings filled in with shades of brown and orange create characters with broad appeal and are a perfect complement to the text. Outstanding in its simplicity, the story conveys an important message in an unassuming manner.-Debbie Lewis O'Donnell, Alachua County Library District, Gainesville, FL Copyright 2007 Reed Business Information.