Explorers of the Wild

February 1, 2016
Atkinson (To the Sea) reveals that the call of the wild isn’t limited to humans. “I love to explore! It’s my favorite thing to do,” the book begins, and it’s clear that those sentiments are shared by both a human boy and a small bear. Both have walking sticks, eager smiles, and curious personalities, and when Atkinson writes that “explorers are prepared for everything,” parallel thought balloons show off their respective supplies: a camera, notebook, and flashlight for the boy, while the bear relies on a vine, fireflies, and stone tablets (both pack snacks). When the explorers meet, the nervousness is mutual, but they quickly recognize each other as kindred spirits, and the narration shifts accordingly: “Together, we found things to touch, things to see, things to hear.” Atkinson creates an invitingly verdant forest, radiant with golden sunlight and jammed with things to discover, including lizards underneath logs and not-so-tasty slugs. Beyond celebrating what nature has to offer, Atkinson leaves readers with the tantalizing and valuable idea that exploration of any kind, whether in the wilderness or not, can turn “I” to “we.” Ages 3–5. Agent: Nicole Tugeau, Tugeau2.

February 1, 2016
Two intrepid explorers celebrate their love of the great outdoors. On facing pages, the parallel adventures of a young boy and an anthropomorphized bear cub unfold. Both are outfitted as the adventurers they clearly are, sporting bags of essentials (food, light sources, recording devices) and walking sticks, and they each take turns telling the tale. "I love to explore! / It's my favorite thing to do! // There are so many neat things to see.... / And so many strange things to find...." Each has heard and dismissed parental warnings: they are explorers, and explorers are always prepared for anything. Anything except perhaps running into each other in the woods. But their fear doesn't last long, and they revel in sharing their adventures. And when the shadows lengthen, they record the memory--with camera and cherry juice on stone--of the "greatest explorer I ever met" and head home. Atkinson's digital illustrations aren't far off from those found in animated movies--full of colors and textures and backgrounds that bring nature to life for readers. Postures and facial expressions speak to the wonder both the bear and the boy, dark-haired and with a medium skin tone, feel in the things they discover. It will be the very stubborn couch potato who doesn't set out, walking stick and bag of essentials in hand, to explore after reading this. (Picture book. 3-6)

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May 1, 2016

PreS-Gr 2-A boy and a bear cub enjoy being in the woods. When they meet, they are wary of the unknown other but find common ground in their love of exploring. At first, each character describes his individual wanderings, but once they meet, the "I's" become "we's" and they narrate as one. The illustrations are vibrant and fill the entire page, with the text "handwritten" into the story.

Copyright 2016 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

March 1, 2016
Preschool-K Though they're practically side by side, two young adventurers, at first, don't notice each other as they explore the wild. A brown-skinned boy with square-framed glasses treks through the woods on the left-hand pages ( There are so many neat things to see. Like over there! ), while on the right-hand side, a small brown bear parallels him ( And so many strange things to find. Like under here! ). Then, smack in the middle of the book, they encounter . . . each other! Though frightened at first, the two soon realize that they're kindred spirits, and they spend the remaining pages exploring together ( No discovery was too small to share ). The illustrations are lush and bold, colorfully portraying a number of vibrant landscapesthere's plenty to look at here. The playful bubble letters of the text pop from the detailed backdrops, and the two narrators, drawn cartoon-style, are equally adorable and enthusiastic about their adventures. This odd-couple friendship is sure to inspire more than a few cases of wanderlust.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2016, American Library Association.)

July 1, 2016
On left-hand pages, a boy explores the woods; on right-hand pages, a bear cub does the same. After they meet, their narratives merge. Smartly conceived and rendered in simple, enthusiastic text and jammed-with-forest-delights illustrations, the book finishes neatly with a return to facing pages, pairing the boy's souvenir (a photo of the friends together) with the bear's (a painting on a rock of the same).

(Copyright 2016 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)