Bear Wants to Sing

Author Cary Fagan
Illustrated by Dena Seiferling
Look inside
Hardcover
$17.99 US
8.69"W x 12.31"H x 0.43"D  
On sale Sep 14, 2021 | 48 Pages | 9780735268036
| Preschool - 2
Reading Level: Lexile AD490L
Bear wants to sing his song, but the other animals won't give him a chance to perform his masterwork in this delightful picture book companion to the critically acclaimed King Mouse.

A bear finds a ukulele in the woods. It makes a nice sound -- PLINK! -- and inspires him to write his own song. His friend Mouse would love to hear it. But Bear isn't the only animal in the forest to find musical inspiration that day, and Snake, Crow and Tortoise keep taking his turn to perform. When they finally give him the opportunity and meet his song with less enthusiasm than he'd like, the discouraged bear shelves his music career forever . . . but the kindness, empathy and appreciation of his best friend will prove that his art deserves recognition and can even inspire others.

This dryly humorous and sweetly profound collaboration between two critically acclaimed children's book creators, a follow-up to the masterful King Mouse, has the makings of a modern classic.
© Josh Levine
CARY FAGAN has written award-winning books for both adults and children. Cary has won the City of Toronto Book Award, the Jewish Book Committee Prize for Fiction and the Mr. Christie Silver Medal. His numerous kids' books include Mort Ziff Is Not Dead, the Kaspar Snit novels, the Wolfie & Fly chapter books and the picture books King Mouse, Bear Wants to Sing, What Are You Doing, Benny? and Little Blue Chair. Mr. Zinger's Hat, another of his picture books, was awarded the Marilyn Baillie Picture Book Award and the IODE Jean Throop Award. He also won the Vicky Metcalf Award for Literature for Young People for his body of work. In addition to his books for children, Cary is the author of six novels and three story collections for adults. He was born and raised in Toronto, where he continues to live with his family. View titles by Cary Fagan
DENA SEIFERLING is a highly acclaimed picture book author and illustrator and needle-felt artist who graduated with a B.F.A. and Visual Communications Degree from the Alberta University of the Arts, where she now works as an instructor. She is the illustrator of King Mouse, which was a finalist for the Governor General’s Literary Award, and its companion book Bear Wants to Sing. The Language of Flowers marks her exquisite debut as both author and illustrator. View titles by Dena Seiferling
  • SELECTION | 2022
    Bank Street College Best Children's Book of the Year
  • FINALIST | 2022
    Elizabeth Mrazik-Cleaver Canadian Picture Book Award
  • AWARD | 2022
    CLEL Bell Picture Book Awards
  • NOMINEE | 2021
    Ezra Jack Keats New Writer/Illustrator Award
"Sparkling whimsy . . . a delicate story full of humor and friendship." —STARRED REVIEW, Kirkus Reviews

"This tender tale of creativity, manners, and nurturing friendship by the creators of King Mouse has all the makings of a contemporary classic." —STARRED REVIEW, Publishers Weekly

"Bear Wants to Sing celebrates kindness and the joys of expressing yourself in the presence of those you love." —STARRED REVIEW, CM: Canadian Review of Materials

About

Bear wants to sing his song, but the other animals won't give him a chance to perform his masterwork in this delightful picture book companion to the critically acclaimed King Mouse.

A bear finds a ukulele in the woods. It makes a nice sound -- PLINK! -- and inspires him to write his own song. His friend Mouse would love to hear it. But Bear isn't the only animal in the forest to find musical inspiration that day, and Snake, Crow and Tortoise keep taking his turn to perform. When they finally give him the opportunity and meet his song with less enthusiasm than he'd like, the discouraged bear shelves his music career forever . . . but the kindness, empathy and appreciation of his best friend will prove that his art deserves recognition and can even inspire others.

This dryly humorous and sweetly profound collaboration between two critically acclaimed children's book creators, a follow-up to the masterful King Mouse, has the makings of a modern classic.

Author

© Josh Levine
CARY FAGAN has written award-winning books for both adults and children. Cary has won the City of Toronto Book Award, the Jewish Book Committee Prize for Fiction and the Mr. Christie Silver Medal. His numerous kids' books include Mort Ziff Is Not Dead, the Kaspar Snit novels, the Wolfie & Fly chapter books and the picture books King Mouse, Bear Wants to Sing, What Are You Doing, Benny? and Little Blue Chair. Mr. Zinger's Hat, another of his picture books, was awarded the Marilyn Baillie Picture Book Award and the IODE Jean Throop Award. He also won the Vicky Metcalf Award for Literature for Young People for his body of work. In addition to his books for children, Cary is the author of six novels and three story collections for adults. He was born and raised in Toronto, where he continues to live with his family. View titles by Cary Fagan
DENA SEIFERLING is a highly acclaimed picture book author and illustrator and needle-felt artist who graduated with a B.F.A. and Visual Communications Degree from the Alberta University of the Arts, where she now works as an instructor. She is the illustrator of King Mouse, which was a finalist for the Governor General’s Literary Award, and its companion book Bear Wants to Sing. The Language of Flowers marks her exquisite debut as both author and illustrator. View titles by Dena Seiferling

Awards

  • SELECTION | 2022
    Bank Street College Best Children's Book of the Year
  • FINALIST | 2022
    Elizabeth Mrazik-Cleaver Canadian Picture Book Award
  • AWARD | 2022
    CLEL Bell Picture Book Awards
  • NOMINEE | 2021
    Ezra Jack Keats New Writer/Illustrator Award

Praise

"Sparkling whimsy . . . a delicate story full of humor and friendship." —STARRED REVIEW, Kirkus Reviews

"This tender tale of creativity, manners, and nurturing friendship by the creators of King Mouse has all the makings of a contemporary classic." —STARRED REVIEW, Publishers Weekly

"Bear Wants to Sing celebrates kindness and the joys of expressing yourself in the presence of those you love." —STARRED REVIEW, CM: Canadian Review of Materials

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