ERIC THE MATH BEAR

Eric, a bright red, ursine number lover, stars in this quirky bank robbery caper by British newcomer Glicksman. The pudgy teddy's hunched, crimson shape ("Sometimes badly behaved bears laugh at his red fur") makes him the focal point of bustling scenes in which Eric revels in his first love: numbers. He examines reams of binary code from a computer printout, dreams he's scuba diving with brightly colored numerals and counts stacks of green bills at his bank job. One spread features a detailed aerial view of Eric's European-style town (featuring a "Honeymart" and his office at "Big Bear Bank"). Accompanying text, in puffy white smoke clouds from his scooter, enumerates things he sees on his route to work ("two yellow trucks, four bears fishing," etc.), prompting readers to hunt for the items in "I Spy" fashion. The fast-moving tale provides some suspense as the math whiz saves the day from two would-be polar bear bank robbers (who comically burst into the bank in an ice cream truck yelling, "Everyone freeze!"). Glicksman's combination of lively art and understated narrative turn the unassuming Eric into a reluctant and lovable hero—who attracts the attention of potential soulmate Erica (who clutches a math book). He solves a lengthy arithmetic equation introduced on initial endpapers with Erica's help on the final endpapers. This zippy story proves the clever come out on top in brains and in love. Ages 4-7. (Aug.)