Norton and the Borrowing Bear
by Gabriel Evans (Goodreads Author)

5 of 5 stars

Norton has a new neighbor, Bear. They become friends, and Bear asks to borrow a few items… and then a few more items. He borrows Norton’s fuzzy slippers, his teapot, his yoga mat, and even his favorite chair! Norton is too polite to tell Bear that he is getting stressed with all this borrowing. But finally Norton snaps, and yells at Bear for being so inconsiderate. Bear feels guilty for borrowing too many things, and asks to borrow one last thing… Norton himself, for some friend time together.

I really liked the positive messages in this book. Both of the friends are at fault in the situation. Bear should not have been borrowing so many things without considering Norton’s feelings, but Norton should have been more vocal about his needs. He should have told Bear from the start that he was uncomfortable with so much borrowing. This is such a great self-care lesson for kids (and adults)!

The illustrations are so fun! You can really see Norton’s emotions through his facial expressions and body language. The Bear is so vibrant and jolly and exuberant! The art work is absolutely stunning with all these little details and random passersby in the background of the scenes. I think it’s interesting that there are humans and animals mixed together in this world, all walking in and out of shops and going about their business.

Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for a free and honest review. All the opinions stated here are my own true thoughts, and are not influenced by anyone.