A Visitor For Bear

Written by Bonny Becker

Illustrated by Kady MacDonald Denton

Most enjoyed by Preschoolers through 2nd Graders

Bear does not want any visitors. He has a sign right on his front door that says 'NO Visitors Allowed'. He's a bit surprised one day as he's making breakfast when a small mouse shows up at the door asking to come in for tea. Bear tells him 'NO Visitors Allowed' is the rule but the Mouse is not so easily swayed. As a matter of fact, he keeps popping up in the most unlikely places, forcing Bear to take drastic measures to keep him out. When Bear reaches the end of his rope and finally lets Mouse stay, he discovers that having visitors isn't quite as terrible as he thought. When Mouse leaves as he promised, Bear does all he can to make him stay, forever changing his rule about visitors.

This is a great read-aloud because of the anticipation built into each step Bear takes in making his breakfast. Young readers never know around which corner the mouse will appear. The gentle, watercolor illustrations perfectly capture the expressions on both characters' faces. While 'A Visitor for Bear' is about friendship, it sure shows the benefits of perseverance!