About the Holiday

Are you an artist, a writer, a decorator, a chef? How about a floral arranger, a woodworker, a fashion designer, or a gardener? Inside almost every heart lies a desire to create. Whether you use your ingenuity in your job or as an escape from the routine, this month celebrates all that is innovative. Sometimes this comes not in something you can see or touch but in a new thought or novel way of solving a problem—as seen in today’s book!

Thanks to Carolrhoda Books and Barb Fisch at Blue Slip Media for sharing a copy of Bear’s Big Idea with me! All opinions on the book are my own.

Bear’s Big Idea

Written by Sandra Nickel | Illustrated by Il Sung Na

Fish and Bear were best friends. They did everything together, and usually—well, always—Fish was the one with the ideas. “Every morning, Fish would wake up, put on her glasses, and just like that, she would know the perfect thing to do.” Every day of the week, Fish found something—a rope, a sled, an umbrella, and a blanket—and dreamed up an innovative way to have fun with it.

Image copyright Il Sung Na, 2024, text copyright Sandra Nickel, 2024. Courtesy of Carolrhoda Books.

But Fish didn’t want Bear to feel left out, so on Thursday she said that the next day they could do Bear’s idea, “‘Of course, said Bear. ‘My brand-new big idea.'” But Bear was worried. She “didn’t have an idea, not even an old and small idea.” Bear tried to sleep that night, but she was afraid that not having an idea meant she wasn’t a good friend. Would Fish take her bowl and leave? Anxiety muddled Bear’s brain, and all she could think of were now-old ideas.

Image copyright Il Sung Na, 2024, text copyright Sandra Nickel, 2024. Courtesy of Carolrhoda Books.

The next morning it was the same. Bear looked everywhere for a brand-new big idea but found nothing. She kept checking in with Fish, asking if she was still there. “‘Always and forever,’ said Fish” with added reassurance. At last, Bear confessed that she couldn’t see an idea anywhere. “‘Don’t worry,’ Fish said. ‘Just because you can’t see something, doesn’t mean it’s not there.'”

Image copyright Il Sung Na, 2024, text copyright Sandra Nickel, 2024. Courtesy of Carolrhoda Books.

So Bear thought some more, she listened, and she felt the wind whipping up. Suddenly, the air was filled with all of the old things from the past week. As Bear watched the things flying by, she saw it! Her brand-new big idea! She quickly gathered the items together and grabbed Fish’s bowl then rode the sled down to the beach, where she turned those individual items into an ingenious brand-new big idea that even impressed Fish! As pleased as Bear was with her idea, though, she was even happier to discover that good friends were “always and forever there.”

Image copyright Il Sung Na, 2024, text copyright Sandra Nickel, 2024. Courtesy of Carolrhoda Books.

The second book in Sandra Nickel’s Bear and Fish series is a charming story that gently addresses children’s common fears about performance and pressure as well as the nature of friendship itself. Throughout the story, Nickel presents Bear’s conundrum realistically as she first alludes to having a big idea and then worries through the night and part of the next day that she will let down and maybe even lose her bestie because she has no idea at all.

Nickel—through Fish’s encouraging comments and confidence in Bear’s abilities—is always right there, though, with reassurance that children will find comforting in their own life. Nickel’s excellent pacing as well as her metaphorical dark and fog that stymies Bear until her approaching idea clears it away adds depth to the story and shows kids that things such as ideas, learning, self-confidence, and growth come to each person in their own time.

Children will be happy to see Il Sung Na’s fast friends back again in a new adventure. Il Sung’s soft-hued illustrations place Bear and Fish in a whimsically surreal mashup of vegetation from Bear’s forest and Fish’s underwater worlds. Bespectacled, ever-faithful Fish regales Bear with reassuring philosophy from her bowl, but also enjoys a madcap experience of her own thanks to Bear’s big idea. Through Il Sung’s clear depictions of Bear’s emotions, children can empathize with and cheer on Bear while gaining their own sense of self-confidence.

An uplifting, reassuring, and confidence boosting story, Bear’s Big Idea is sure to prompt requests for multiple readings and can spark discussions about feelings of fear, external and internal pressure, true friendship, and using one’s imagination. Bear’s Big Idea would make a valuable addition to home, library, and classroom collections.

Ages 4 – 8

Carolrhoda Books, 2024 | ISBN 979-8765610176

About the Author

Sandra Nickel is a writer of nonfiction picture books for children. Her work includes The Stuff Between Stars, Nacho’s Nachos, and Breaking Through the Clouds. She is the winner of a Christopher Award and holds an MFA in Writing for Children and Young Adults from Vermont College of Fine Arts. When at home in Switzerland, Sandra loves ambling and rambling and eating carrot muffins just as much as Bear and Fish do.

About the Illustrator

Il Sung Na was born in Seoul, South Korea. In 2001, he moved to London to pursue a BFA in Illustration and Animation at Kingston University, where he discovered a passion for children’s books. He completed his MFA Illustration Practice at MICA (Maryland Institute College of Art) in 2015. Il Sung has illustrated several books including Wild Peace, My Tree, and ZZZZ: A Book of Sleep. Currently based in Kansas City, Il Sung teaches illustration courses at KCAI (Kansas City Art Institute) and works on new books.

International Creativity Month Activity

Expressive Bear

You can talk about different emotions and feelings or make up your own stories with this Expressive Bear Craft! Use the templates and/or make your own expressive eyes, eyebrows, and nose and mouths. You can also play a game in which the first person to collect all the parts of the bear’s face is the winner.

Supplies

• Printable Bear Head Template
• Printable Eyes and Noses Template
• Printable Eyebrows  and Ears Template
• Light brown felt or fleece (or color of your choice), 8 ½ x 11 inch piece
• Dark brown felt or fleece(or color of your choice), 8 ½ x 11 inch piece
• White felt or fleece, 8 ½ x 11 inch piece
• Black felt or fleece, for pupils
• Scissors
• Glue
• 1 playing die (optional)

Directions

1. Print templates
2. Cut bear head from light felt or fleece
3. Cut eyes from white felt or fleece
4. Cut nose and inner ears from dark brown felt or fleece
5. Cut pupils from black felt or fleece
6. Glue pupils onto white eyes

Alternatively: Color and play with the paper set

For a Fun Story Time

Give the bear different faces and make up stories of why he looks that way!

To Play a Game

Supplies

• 1 plastic playing die. Or print this playing die template and draw one of the six facial features on each side.
• Pencil, pen, or markers (if using printed die template)
• Cut out, fold, and tape the die together

Directions

1. Roll the die and follow the instructions below to collect parts of the bear’s face.
2. The first player to create a full face is the winner.

• Die dots correspond to:
• 1—one eyebrow
• 2—second eyebrow
• 3—one eye
• 4—second eye
• 5—nose
• 6—inner ears

You can purchase Bear’s Big Idea from these booksellers

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop (to support your local independent bookstore)

Picture Book Review