The first book that a little one holds in his or her tiny hands is oftentimes a board book. A board book is a book made of thick paperboard that is used for both the cover and interior pages so that it doesn’t tear when excited little fingers attempt to turn its leaves. Typically written with simple words that introduce basic concepts, it can also be a child’s first window on the world.

Bear’s Busy Family, published by the award-winning Barefoot Books, is a wonderful example of everything one hopes to find in a child’s first book––it’s colorful, fun, instructive, warm, and packed with images and situations designed to delight both children and adults. Part of a series of books created by author Stella Blackstone and illustrator Debbie Harter, these books feature delightful bear characters that provide a variety of formats for learning. Follow the bear family as they bake bread, build pottery, play in a band, and grow their family tree (a colorful chart offers a great introduction to extended family relationships).

Harter’s brilliant illustrations are charming and blend beautifully with Blackstone’s rhyming text that explores sight, sound, smell, touch and taste. In addition to Bear’s Busy Family, readers will want to explore other titles in the series which include: Bear in a Square (which introduces shapes), Bear About Town (with a full spread town at the end of the story), and Bear on a Bike (which explores different modes of transportation). Some titles are also available as Spanish/English bilingual books.

This series of books deserves a BIG bear hug for providing our youngest audience with a wonderful reading experience!