For Kids - Illustrated Storybook - Bear and Roly Poly

From Publishers Weekly
Bear, the diminutive stuffed-animal hero who adjusted to having a baby-sitter in Bear and Mrs. Duck, welcomes a cuddly cub sibling into the family in the latest Winthrop/Brewster collaboration. When Nora, Bear's owner, goes off to Grandma's house to get a baby sister for Bear, he imagines he'll be a helpful big brother. But he never expected that "baby" Roly-Poly would be larger than himself, or that she would not look at all like him (she is a panda), or that she would cry so much. But Bear's cheerful resolve and special singing voice eventually help to calm things down. Winthrop is again dead-on in addressing toddlers' trepidations about facing unsettling situations. A light and sweet tone works well in a text that continually imparts messages of love, warmth and acceptance without becoming gooey. Brewster's pastel shades and Martha-Stewart-meets-Laura-Ashley decor set the stage for a cozy curl-up tale. In several scenes Roly-Poly's sizable girth is nearly palpable.

From School Library Journal
PreSchool-Grade 1?While Nora goes to Grandma's to get a new baby sister for her stuffed animal friend, he practices being a big brother. However, instead of a doll-sized baby, the little girl returns with a very large, heavy panda. "She's not a baby…And she's not brown like me," Bear exclaims. "Babies come in all colors and sizes," says Nora. Little by little, Bear finds ways that he can help with the squalling Roly-Poly, and soon the siblings are inseparable. Charming illustrations and believable characters make this third "Bear and Nora" story right on target for youngsters harboring the notion that having an infant in the house will be pure joy.