aaron_j136's review against another edition
2.0
this was not it. I admire the message but the writing and actual story as well as the audiobook narration was not my vibe.
simonmee's review
2.0
The POLAR BEAR is DIFFERENT from the BROWN BEARS. BUT we can ACCEPT that (and like) her for who she is.
Do we need to point the metaphorical finger and say YOU are DIFFERENT but that is OK, congratulating ourselves for being so tolerant? What is "different" these days? We live in increasingly multicultural and liberal societies where what is neither easy nor desirable to identify what is NORMAL.
I am not trying to claim "not to see colour" or similar. I hope instead my point is that maybe, rather than categorizing people and then comparing them to (somehow identifiable) dominant groups, we instead accept that we exist on an infinite number of points on an infinite series of spectrums where, while characteristics may be shared within groups, there are also many many distinctions. Sure, there are shared experiences within roughly defined groups, but I feel like this book was a bit more simplistic than that.
I realise this sounds like a painful overreading of a children's book about accepting people who may not be the same as us, but this book feels clunky and anachronistic in making the point. There are some very very good children book's authors presently, so I feel we can afford be a bit more critical.
For all that, the above isn't why I rate it so low, as my point of view is pretty contestable. My daughter said she doesn't like the book and finds it scary. I have to agree, it is rather confrontational with violent themes, all in the name of "good humour."
Do we need to point the metaphorical finger and say YOU are DIFFERENT but that is OK, congratulating ourselves for being so tolerant? What is "different" these days? We live in increasingly multicultural and liberal societies where what is neither easy nor desirable to identify what is NORMAL.
I am not trying to claim "not to see colour" or similar. I hope instead my point is that maybe, rather than categorizing people and then comparing them to (somehow identifiable) dominant groups, we instead accept that we exist on an infinite number of points on an infinite series of spectrums where, while characteristics may be shared within groups, there are also many many distinctions. Sure, there are shared experiences within roughly defined groups, but I feel like this book was a bit more simplistic than that.
I realise this sounds like a painful overreading of a children's book about accepting people who may not be the same as us, but this book feels clunky and anachronistic in making the point. There are some very very good children book's authors presently, so I feel we can afford be a bit more critical.
For all that, the above isn't why I rate it so low, as my point of view is pretty contestable. My daughter said she doesn't like the book and finds it scary. I have to agree, it is rather confrontational with violent themes, all in the name of "good humour."
audrey042's review against another edition
4.0
Mademoiselle ourse est un album jeunesse truculent qui nous offre une aventure pleine d’humour, tout en abordant avec intelligence le thème du racisme et de la peur de la différence. Drôle, pétillante et magnifiquement illustrée, une jolie histoire pour petits et grands…
Avis détaillé sur https://lightandsmell.wordpress.com/2022/04/15/mini-chroniques-en-pagaille-modele-48-rires-tendresse-et-animaux/
Avis détaillé sur https://lightandsmell.wordpress.com/2022/04/15/mini-chroniques-en-pagaille-modele-48-rires-tendresse-et-animaux/
sean67's review
3.0
So this is the first David Williams book that I have ever read, and it is a fine little picture book where the essential boiled down message is to celebrate the differences in each other. A fine little book, and I shall be interested to read, at some point in the future some of his longer books.
kruu_dao's review against another edition
5.0
My five year old nephew chose the five star rating and left this review for other kids: Aran
ozshark's review against another edition
4.0
This was a surprisingly sweet book. For some reason, I was expecting a completely different story, just from the title. This presents a message of accepting others and the unknown, but in a very humorous way. I loved the "paw notes" sprinkled throughout the book! The illustrations are also wonderful.
gemmaflanagan's review against another edition
5.0
I've yet to read a walliams book I dont love!
This is great.
Romance, humour and a free geography lesson.
I love the side notes on some pages -
" I would not recommend eating Walrus. You have to smother it with tomato ketchup to make it taste nice"
A lovely heartwarming story, with brilliant illustrations from Tony Ross.
This is great.
Romance, humour and a free geography lesson.
I love the side notes on some pages -
" I would not recommend eating Walrus. You have to smother it with tomato ketchup to make it taste nice"
A lovely heartwarming story, with brilliant illustrations from Tony Ross.
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