Used-Up Bear - Softcover

Carmichael, Clay; Carmichael, C

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0735813051 ISBN 13: 9780735813052

Publisher: NorthSouth, 2000

Synopsis

Bear worries that Clara will stop loving him because he is wearing out and getting used up

About this title

Review:

This story of a well-loved, fraying stuffed toy features a protagonist suffering heartbreaking sadness and misery. An endearing stuffed bear takes stock of his deterioration and has childlike fears that he will soon be discarded. The terrors of being in the basement, tossed in a thrift-shop sale, or becoming a dust rag overwhelm him. During Bear's efforts to avoid becoming more worn, the newer stuffed toys cruelly predict his fate. Readers will be riveted; Bear's anxiety is almost unbearable, so he goes to the garbage can, to wait to be picked up. His owner, Clara, retrieves him and produces a splendid red suit, designed to preserve and protect him. Carmichael (Bear at the Beach, 1996) strikes a chord with children or anyone else who has kept quiet about a source of fear. The spare illustrations present clean, focused scenes; each one highlights the crucial emotion or situation portrayed. In candy colors of blue, lilac, and yellow, the pictures realize all the frightening possibilities a bear can dream up. A joyous ending, in which Bear admires himself 'all morning in the mirror,' brings great relief, as well as a message of love and loyalty. -- Kirkus Reviews

From School Library Journal:

PreSchool-Grade 1?Poor Bear looks in the mirror one day and notices that his white fur no longer shines, his button nose keeps falling off, one of his eyes is loose, and he is losing stuffing out of his back. He laments, "Pretty soon I'll be all used up...A worn-out, used-up bear." The sofa animals, those with new fur and solidly stuffed bodies, taunt Bear, leading him to believe that Clara will soon throw him away in favor of one of them. In the end, however, the child surprises her beloved bear with a bright red flannel suit to protect his well-loved body. This is a delightful, easy-to-read story about the strong bond that children share with a special stuffed animal or toy. The pen-and-ink illustrations are awash with soft pastels in gentle lavenders and serene blues, adding to the narrative's warmth. Use it with Barbara Douglass's Good As New (Mulberry, 1989) or as a springboard to Rebecca Caudill's even more beautiful story of love and understanding, The Best Loved Doll (Holt, 1997). All three titles belong in any children's collection.?Lisa Gangemi Krapp, Sousa Elementary School, Port Washington, NY
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.

About this edition

• Publisher: NorthSouth
• Publication date: 2000
• ISBN 10: 0735813051
• ISBN 13: 9780735813052
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 48