A story of independence and reassurance from top-selling author-illustrator Nancy Tafuri, three Little Bears explore their forest home, yet never wander too far from the security of their Mama. One afternoon, Mama is teaching her three Little Bears how to fish. But in a forest full of surprises, the cubs are too curious to stay in one place for very long! Every rock and tree offers a new, exciting discovery, drawing Little Bears further and further away from the river. Yet no matter where they wander, Little Bears are never too far from their Mama's watchful eye. Nancy Tafuri's trademark watercolor style creates a playful, gentle world for this minimally-worded story of early independence and loving reassurance. reschool--Three curious bear cubs are fishing with their mother one spring day when they decide to venture off by themselves. Along the way they encounter a variety of other forest creatures and ask questions such as, "What's in there?" or "What's down here?" They scamper up a tree ("What's up there?") only to find a nest of owls that startle them. They quickly head back down the tree to look for their mother. Of course, she has been close by all along. The borderless, two-page watercolor illustrations are typical Tafuri, with soft colors and attention to detail. The text is simple and large, with few words per spread. Children will enjoy finding the mother bear in each illustration. It's unfortunate that the animals the cubs encounter aren't identified for adults sharing the story with children. This title is similar in content and story to Ann Jonas's Two Bear Cubs (Greenwillow, 1982), but misses the mark of that storytime classic because several animals are too small to be seen in a group setting. In addition, the text lacks the smooth flow of Jonas's title. A nice book for sharing one-on-one, this is an additional purchase. Shauna Yusko, King County Library System, Bellevue, WA Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information, Inc. Ages 1-4. After fishing with Mama, three bear cubs venture out of the water and into the surrounding hills and forest. The inquisitive cubs discover other animal mamas with their young as they upturn rocks, peer into caves, and peek inside logs. Children must turn the book vertically to accompany the curious trio as they climb a tall tree, where, at the top, they are startled into a hasty retreat by an owl guarding her nest. Down the tree they scramble and into the arms of a welcoming mama, who is always visible in the background of each double-page spread, watching out for her cubs. In her characteristic, child-friendly style, Tafuri matches large-print, simply phrased text to expressive, uncluttered paintings worked in watercolor enriched with pastel. Children will love this animal adventure, which begins and ends safely under Mama's watchful eye and within her secure hug. Ellen Mandel Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved Nancy Tafuri is the acclaimed author/illustrator of more than 30 children's books, including the Caldecott Honor Book Have You Seen My Duckling? "I feel honored to be creating literature for young children," she says. "Seeing how very important these early years are in children's lives, I hope that my books contribute in some small way to their growth, with the feelings I try to project through line, color, shape, and story." Tafuri, who studied at New York's School of Visual Arts, lives with her husband, Tom, and their daughter, Cristina, in rural Connecticut. For more information about Nancy Tafuri, visit: scholastic.com/tradebooks