Baby Bear - by Kadir Nelson (Hardcover)

About the Book

Book Synopsis

The acclaimed tale of a lost little bear searching for home from Caldecott Medalist and Coretta Scott King Award winner Kadir Nelson.

Baby Bear is lost and afraid. All the other animals try to help:
Trust yourself.
Sing a song.
Retrace your steps.

As Baby Bear gains courage with every step, he realizes he was never far from home after all.

With poetic text and stunning illustrations, Baby Bear is an impressive addition to the canon of timeless picture book classics.

Kadir Nelson's acclaimed books include The Undefeated, winner of the Caldecott Medal as the most distinguished picture book of the year, Heart and Soul: The Story of America and African Americans, and Moses: When Harriet Tubman Led Her People to Freedom.

From the Back Cover

Baby Bear is lost and trying to find his way home. As he walks through the forest, he meets other animals who offer wise advice.

Trust yourself.
Listen to your heart.
Keep walking and you will find your way home.

As each encounter moves Baby Bear farther along on his journey, he gains courage and the comforting feeling that he is loved and never alone.

With poetic text and stunning illustrations, Baby Bear is a powerful addition to the canon of timeless picture-book classics.

Review Quotes

"In Nelson's hands, the natural world is enviably ruled by kind intentions and respect." -- New York Times Book Review

"A final picture book, filled with moody, sumptuous paintings, evokes the feelings of trust and vulnerability that small children are liable to experience in a world so much bigger than they are." -- Wall Street Journal

"The award-winning Nelson turns from nuanced treatments of historical subjects to this exploration of a classic preschool trope: a lost animal's search for home. . . . Resonant." -- Kirkus Reviews (starred review)

"Nelson builds his tale on the simplest bedtime-story scaffolding: a bear cub loses its way home and asks other forest animals for help. What distinguishes Nelson's creation is an atmosphere of loving-kindness and the affirmation of Baby Bear's ability to make the journey alone." -- Publishers Weekly (starred review)

"Nelson's luscious oils on canvas are as breathtaking as ever, and his superb, almost life-sized, depictions of these creatures in their natural environment hold a wonder of their own." -- School Library Journal

"Kadir Nelson's exquisitely understated picture book charts a bear cub's journey to find his home, with helpful advice from his fellow woodland creatures." -- Shelf Awareness