Hotel Bruce

August 1, 2016

PreS-Gr 2-In this sequel to Mother Bruce, the bear and his quartet of goslings return home from winter migration to find that some mice have moved into his home and turned it into a hotel. Staying true to character, Bruce grumpily shoos the unwanted squatters out. However, a miscellaneous cast of woodland creatures keep turning up all over his home (including in the toilet). Not surprisingly, the next morning the mice return, managing to turn the geese into bellhops. When a rowdy group of elephant tourists show up, Bruce loses his cool and sends all the visitors out into the rain. Eventually Bruce's tender heart kicks in and he invites the mice back in to likely become additions to his adopted family. The illustrations are delightful, with lots of visual humor for those who pay attention to details. Subtle gags abound in this addition to the series. Students will laugh out loud at Bruce's misfortune and cheer when he has a change of heart. VERDICT This latest installment is sure to enchant a wide audience; a recommended purchase for any library collection.-Jasmine L. Precopio, Fox Chapel Area School District, Pittsburgh

Copyright 2016 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

A cantankerous bear's home is once again wrested from his control.Even though he's a bear, Bruce accompanies four geese south every winter for their yearly migration. Personally he "would have preferred to hibernate," but he's their mom (Mother Bruce, 2015). Returning one spring--on a bus, naturally--they discover that mice have turned their (human-style) house into a woodland hotel. The ensuing commotion includes possum pillow fights, a beaver eating at the table--well, eating the table--a fox trying to coax turtle-guests into a pot of boiling water ("It's a bath!"), and a tourist bus full of elephants. As cheekily funny as the illustrations are, even funnier is their juxtaposition with the often understated narration. "It was a long night" shows Bruce in his one-bear-sized bed with four unrelated animals--the porcupine wanting to snuggle, the rabbit needing to pee--plus two of his own kids. When the mice-proprietors urge Bruce to check out ("Our bellhops will see to your luggage"), Bruce's own children--the geese, who, though technically adults, act like toddlers--appear in bellhop uniforms. Dialogue is in speech bubbles. With deftly drawn lines that vary from bold to fine over tertiary colors, Higgins creates touchable textures (wallpaper; hardwood floors) and hilarious facial expressions, including Bruce's perpetually scowling unibrow. A merry, witty celebration of chaos and grumpiness. (Picture book. 3-6) COPYRIGHT(1) Kirkus Reviews, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

August 1, 2016
A cantankerous bears home is once again wrested from his control.Even though hes a bear, Bruce accompanies four geese south every winter for their yearly migration. Personally he would have preferred to hibernate, but hes their mom (Mother Bruce, 2015). Returning one springon a bus, naturallythey discover that mice have turned their (human-style) house into a woodland hotel. The ensuing commotion includes possum pillow fights, a beaver eating at the tablewell, eating the tablea fox trying to coax turtle-guests into a pot of boiling water (Its a bath!), and a tourist bus full of elephants. As cheekily funny as the illustrations are, even funnier is their juxtaposition with the often understated narration. It was a long night shows Bruce in his one-bearsized bed with four unrelated animalsthe porcupine wanting to snuggle, the rabbit needing to peeplus two of his own kids. When the mice-proprietors urge Bruce to check out (Our bellhops will see to your luggage), Bruces own childrenthe geese, who, though technically adults, act like toddlersappear in bellhop uniforms. Dialogue is in speech bubbles. With deftly drawn lines that vary from bold to fine over tertiary colors, Higgins creates touchable textures (wallpaper; hardwood floors) and hilarious facial expressions, including Bruces perpetually scowling unibrow. A merry, witty celebration of chaos and grumpiness. (Picture book. 3-6)

COPYRIGHT(2016) Kirkus Reviews, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

October 24, 2016
Some bears can’t catch a break: having unwillingly adopted four goslings in 2015’s Mother Goose, Bruce finds that three enterprising mice have converted his home into a hotel in this slapstick sequel. Higgins’s caricatured artwork delights in the resulting chaos as possums throw a pillow fight, a beaver chows down on the kitchen table, and a frog gets comfy in the toilet. The goslings—who quickly step in as bellhops—provide lots of laughs, too, and although Bruce eventually sends the hotel guests packing, the ending proves that there’s still room left in his heart, as well as in his home. Ages 3–5. Agent: Paul Rodeen, Rodeen Literary Management.

January 1, 2017
When last we left the Ed Asneresque bear Bruce, he was stuck parenting some goslings (Mother Bruce). Now his patience is tested further: woodland creatures have transformed his home into a hotel. (Rest assured, he's still a pushover.) Once again there's one laugh per page, from either the understated writing or a visual gag (see a steaming-mad Bruce in a bellhop getup).

(Copyright 2017 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)