Art, sport, or any undertaking that requires a great deal of
practice and training tend to be lonely enterprises. A writer must spend hours
or days on end in front of a blank page. An athlete spends years adhering to a
rigorous training schedule. All are after those 10,000 plus hours that will
make them stand out among the rest. The Grizzly Bear Who Lost His Grrrrr!, a picture book written and illustrated by Rob Biddulph, what can happen if we don't stop to smell the roses.
Fred is a three-time champion of the
Best Bear in the Woods Contest and a star. Fred has mastered such feats as fish
catching, hula-hooping, scaring humans, and especially his loud, forest shaking
growl. Fred, however, is all alone. His training schedule allows no time for
friends, so he makes due with his prizes, and medals, and trophies. Fred’s life
changes when a new bear, Boris, comes into town and Fred mysteriously loses his
Grrrr! Friends come out of the woodwork to help Fred in his time of need and he
learns the value of having back up in a pinch.
I love the image of Fred waking up on the day of the
competition with his alarm clock, his stuffed animals, and his rocket lava
lamp. It gives the sense that Fred is not just a ferocious competitor. He has
loves, and passions and a unique personality. He has vulnerabilities. The
tattooed bear, the pirate bear, and the gentleman bear add humor and a sense of
individuality to the competitors at the starting line-up on the day of the
contest.
