Geoffrey Hayes’s latest release, Patrick in “A Teddy Bear’s Picnic and Other Stories” Has been doing so well that we’re getting ready to go back to press! We’re so excited that you all love this adorable bear as much as we do.
Take a peek at these reviews sent directly to us by teachers and librarians, and see more of the raving on Patrick’s official press page.
“‘Patrick in a Teddy Bear’s Picnic and Other Stories’ follows a young, determined bear as he goes on a splendid picnic and takes a trip to the store. The text is manageable for a beginning reader, as each panel contains around one sentence or expression–and there are plenty of sight words. The illustrations are amusing and easy for the reader’s eye to follow.”
Nell Secor
Young Readers Services Librarian
Beaumont Library District
“Patrick in A Teddy Bear’s Picnic and Other Stories by Geoffrey Hayes, on the surface, is a light, humorous look into family life. We meet Patrick, his mother, and (briefly) his father as they enjoy simple delights like an outdoor picnic, an indoor picnic, and meals together.
Patrick’s mom shows motherly concern for her son as she insists on naps (which he can’t see the point of), but she also trusts him with responsibility when she sends him to the store despite his worry about a local bully. The character of the bully brings another dimension to the stories that takes us beyond the “slice of life” glimpse into Patrick’s daily doings. In one instance, Patrick is led by his mother to ignore the bully’s actions and move beyond his emotional response. In a later story, however, Patrick’s mother encourages him to see himself in a different light and builds his confidence so that he stands up to the bully. The ending scene of that story exemplifies how most kids would love to end their own bully stories: Mom asks, “So, did you run into Big Bear?” “No!” says Patrick, “He ran into ME!”
The bright colors and rounded lines of Hayes’s art will appeal to children, and the text is so well chosen that most early readers will be able to read much or all of the book independently. They may not even realize that they’re building an entirely new visual literacy as they absorb elements of graphica such as bolded and capitalized text for emphasis, onomatopoeic words in bright colors, italics, and thought bubbles as opposed to speech bubbles. Recommended for preK-2nd grade.”
Kelly L. Farrow
LRC Director, Fairmount School
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