Wonder Bear

Tao Nyeu ~ Dial Books, 2008

This is something I NEVER do, but since this is definitely not a vintage children's book, I have to rave about it somewhere other than over here. I am a few months late sniffing it out as it is, but better late than never I say.

Now, the bub and I went to story time at our local independent shop The Twig/Red Balloon this morning, and whenever we go, I feel compelled to support the little guy and always end up with a paperback of some sort in my shopping cart. But when I saw this book, I wasn't sure whether to buy it or eat it. From the moment I held it in my hands, I would have done anything, paid any price to possess it. (It didn't even seem to matter to me that yesterday, my personal bank account was overdrawn by $1.28.) Actually, I wanted to wallpaper my house... my car... the sky with it, and then fall into the pages myself, becoming one with every last illustration so that my blood runs rainbow. Really, if I could marry the Wonder Bear, I would.

Honestly, if you have a child between 0 and five and Wonder Bear is not in their Easter basket come April, you are a horrible parent! You have to hold this over-sized book in your hands and feel the matte pages and watch the colors swirl around in your own imagination before you can even begin to touch the awesomeness of this little slice of illustration heaven. As I am looking at the scans, they hold not even a tenth of the magic owning this book makes me feel. (You can see full page spreads on the author's Web site.) If I pay full price for a new children's book, you know it has to be good. I haven't even mentioned the splendor of the wordless story yet, with its white gummy bear of love and its flying sea creatures and bubble ensconced monkeys flying high into the sky..

Really just scrumptious. Delicious. Mindbogglingly mouth watering. Better than chocolate and fuzzy baby ducks. It is the author's first book, and it makes me want to pack up my bags and head off to art school right now. (This book was her thesis people. HER THESIS!) Scroll down and die of love.