Bear flies high by Michael Rosen

Ill. by Adrian Reynolds. Bloomsbury, 2009. ISBN 9780747597971. Includes a CD read by Michael Rosen.
(Age 3+) Recommended. Another wonderful picture book about Bear, who we met in The Bear in the cave. This time Bear is sitting on the beach watching the birds in the sky go 'swoopy swoopity swoop' and wishing that he could fly. His friends come along and tell him to follow them if he wants to fly. He finds himself at an amusement park and has a great time on the rides, in the haunted house and finally soars high on the big flipper.
Rosen's verse story is a delight to read aloud with its lyric words and repetition. There is a statement on the left hand of the page with a refrain with a question in the middle: 'I'm a bear on a beach. On a beach? On a beach.' On the right hand page is another sentence followed by a wonderful rhyme just meant for children to say along with the reader. A CD accompanying the book is a fine addition. Read by Rosen, who is a superb storyteller, it has background music and sounds and a beginning reader could listen to it and follow the words on the page.
The illustrations are in vibrant orange, blue and green. The bear is a lumbering, cuddly, enormous animal, which children will love. They will be happy to know that sometimes wishes can come true, especially if you have friends who are willing to help you realise them!
Pat Pledger