Does a Bear Poo in the Woods?

April 1, 2023
A bear searches for the perfect--private--place to poo. Barry is a typical bear: He likes growling, eating honey, and slumbering. When nature calls, he prefers to do his business alone. But the forest is full of animals! There are watchful eyes everywhere. "So Barry set off through the trees to find a quiet place, / a corner of the forest, where he could have some space." Alas, on Barry's trek, he encounters some unlucky scatological disasters. Birds who clearly don't share Barry's shyness defecate midflight--right on top of him. And then he slips in a "POOEY PILE" left by a moose. In complete despair, "Barry threw his head back. / He was desperate for release. / 'HELP!' he cried out to the sky. / 'I need to POO in / PEACE.' " Luckily, wise Brenda Bigpaw, a fellow bear, has a solution. She points Barry to an outhouse, which seems divine. Except maybe not to the light-skinned lumberjack who also needs to use it. Readers will sympathize with the desperate wiggle dance (a universal bathroom signal) and poor Barry's plight. The lively rhyme scheme (which falters only slightly) keeps the tempo upbeat as Barry rushes to find the perfect spot, while the cartoonishly exaggerated illustrations will keep readers giggling. (This book was reviewed digitally.) Toilet humor done well. (Picture book. 3-6)

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September 8, 2023
Preschool-Grade 2 When shy Barry the bear wakes up each morning, his first task is to go for a poo. He longs for a place to poo in private but can't find one. Barry wanders through the woods getting pooped on by woodpeckers in mid-air, sprayed by bottom-burping skunks, and slipping and landing in a pile of moose dung before finding a quiet, lonely cabin with a sparkling toilet where he can finally poo in peace. This book has a singular purpose, which it achieves predominantly through full-page illustrations and two-page spreads in rounded, friendly shaped animals and a forest full of green and brown nature colors (with a color-pop of red at the surprise ending). The rhyming lines are a bit loosely matched in their rhythm at times, but the tale has its moments. And while not quite as amusing as its chuckle-worthy title and cover promise, this book, dedicated to "shy bears everywhere," will certainly have specific readers who can relate and will appreciate Barry's struggle and eventual triumph.

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