Mr Brown by Thomasina Williams

Illus. by Naya and Kostya Lazareva. Little Steps, 2020. ISBN: 9781925839463.
Recommended. Mr Brown is a story about a bear trying to organise himself for hibernation. Mr Brown has a long list of things he needs to do before he can settle in for his big sleep, but it seems that something always gets in the way! It may be his memory, a fire that won't light, or fish that get scared away. Fortunately for Mr Brown he has wonderful friends who are there to help him through each stage and get him sorted.
This is a lovely rhyming book that tells listeners a story of friendship. It shows how when we help our friends (or just others around us) we are doing a good thing, but also making them smile. I also loved how at the end Mr Brown cannot resist but share his prepared meals with all his friends as a thank you gesture - it was very sweet!
Each of Mr Brown's friends only want the best for him in his time of hibernation and through the illustrations we see their genuine faces.
We enjoyed both the story and the illustrations as together they really contributed to a good reading experience. There were lots of things to discuss in the pictures and Miss 6 and I had a great talk about hibernation and friends. Her favourite animal was the cat, however mine was the rabbit who can be seen stealing the last sandwich off cat's plate as they toast their friend to a happy hibernation!
Overall a nice story with interesting illustrations and a good message, 4 out of 5.
Lauren Fountain