The Brothers Zzli

August 1, 2023

K-Gr 2-In this import with something of a Goldilocks reversal, three refugee bear brothers come stay with a little girl who resides by herself in a big house in the forest. Invited by the girl's bat friend to allay her loneliness, the enormous Zzli siblings fill the girl's house with noise and dancing, cheerfully eating and cooking, setting up a train set, and installing beehives in the garden. They tell the tragic story of being exiled from their home, and the hardships they experienced on their journey to find a new one. The girl enjoys this chaotic ursine company, dubbing the brothers Yes, No, and Maybe, and in turn, being called Welcome by them. However, she discovers that the neighborhood forest creatures are hostile and afraid, espousing sentiments that "all the bears in the world will overrun [their] beautiful forest." A policeman arrives under the pretense of dismantling the beehives, and then in a darker turn of events, the girl's house is set on fire, forcing her and the bears to seek a more hospitable place to stay. Though the text ends on a questioning note, the later spreads depict the girl and the bears finding a welcoming community. Boutin's fantastical illustrations have a vintage graphics feel, providing a contrast to the difficult and grim themes. The cartoonish antics of the bears and the vivid colors and patterns lighten the mood but do not detract from the heft of the story. VERDICT A unique and touching take on the subjects of immigration and intolerance, welcome in collections alongside Yuyi Morales's Dreamers and Issa Watanabe's Migrants.-Yelena Voysey

Copyright 2023 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

September 1, 2023
A girl lives alone in a big house deep in the forest. One day her bat friend suggests that she make room for three bears who "were driven out of their home" and have nowhere to live. The text gives no explanation for the bears' displacement, but an image of them running from a fire allows readers to extrapolate. The child, dubbed "Welcome" by the bear brothers (after the word on her doormat), accepts the new changes to her quiet life and comes to love the vibrancy of her home. But not everyone is comfortable with the newcomers. The neighbors complain to the police, worried that now "all the bears in the world will overrun our beautiful forest." After a suspiciously set fire destroys the house, Welcome and the bears head out into the world looking for a place where they will be accepted. Cousseau's somewhat lengthy tale is a modern fable in which creatures migrate and individuals can make room for newcomers even when communities are hostile. The serious themes are balanced by Boutin's decorative, stylized illustrations (with many festive scenes embellished with berries, vines, and flowers) in a palette reminiscent of old-fashioned color-separated art. Maeve Visser Knoth

(Copyright 2023 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)

October 1, 2023
Grades 1-3 *Starred Review* Bears looking for a place to live find friendship and hospitality in a stranger's home in this touching story with a classic feel. The brothers Zzli, who are three bears but eat enough for four, are refugees who have been on the road for a long time. A little girl who lives alone in a large house warmly offers up her home. She endearingly nicknames them Yes, No, and Maybe, reflective of their common responses. The brothers in turn call the girl Welcome, and together they eat, dance, laugh, and have fun. Yes, No, and Maybe organize a party for the neighborhood, but no one comes except for the girl's bat-friend. The girl and bat-friend soon grasp the intolerance of the other forest residents, who are worried that "the bears in the world will overrun [their] beautiful forest." One day, a police officer shows up "because [the] neighbors have been complaining." The following night, the girl's house is set on fire, presumably by someone who doesn't like the bears. The brothers Zzli, the bat-friend, and the little girl set off to find a more welcoming place to call home. This moving allegory is captured by expressive, illustrations in a vintage style created with markers and digital media primarily featuring reds, yellows, greens, and blues. Wordless full-page spreads at the end capture the uplifting conclusion, capping off the story's inclusive message.

COPYRIGHT(2023) Booklist, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

October 15, 2023
Cousseau puts a unique spin on the oft-told encounter between a girl and three bears. In this version, the girl is the homeowner, and the bears, known as the brothers Zzli, are the guests. Unlike in the fairy tale, there are no intruders--"driven out of their home," the bears arrive at the girl's invitation and are greeted warmly. They bring joy to her life, and together the newfound family overcomes communication barriers and other challenges. Despite the bears' kind hearts, intolerant neighbors treat them as dangerous interlopers and respond with escalating acts of harassment and violence. Boutin's detailed illustrations are riveting, with bold inky lines and palettes reminiscent of woodcut prints used in 20th-century Russian and Polish folk art. Lal's translation is clear and efficient, but some of the musicality and humor of the original French text is lost in the process. As an allegory for the treatment of refugees, the story lacks the subtlety and coherence of other titles. Portraying the refugees, but not their host, as animals may reinforce their otherness, and because the depiction of the animals that make up the broader community is superficial, younger readers may not understand their motivations. Yet, with additional context and substantial adult guidance, this tale might help older readers make sense of the topic. The girl has skin the white of the page. A quirky, poignant take on the refugee crisis, though one best introduced by sensitive caregivers or educators. (Picture book. 7-10)

COPYRIGHT(2023) Kirkus Reviews, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

January 1, 2024
A girl lives alone in a big house deep in the forest. One day her bat friend suggests that she make room for three bears who "were driven out of their home" and have nowhere to live. The text gives no explanation for the bears' displacement, but an image of them running from a fire allows readers to extrapolate. The child, dubbed "Welcome" by the bear brothers (after the word on her doormat), accepts the new changes to her quiet life and comes to love the vibrancy of her home. But not everyone is comfortable with the newcomers. The neighbors complain to the police, worried that now "all the bears in the world will overrun our beautiful forest." After a suspiciously set fire destroys the house, Welcome and the bears head out into the world looking for a place they will be accepted. Cousseau's somewhat lengthy tale is a modern fable in which creatures migrate and individuals can make room for newcomers even when communities are hostile. The serious themes are balanced by Boutin's decorative, stylized illustrations (with many festive scenes embellished with berries, vines, and flowers) in a palette reminiscent of old-fashioned color-separated art.

(Copyright 2024 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)