Tucker and the Bear

Young Tucker lives by himself in an exquisite little cottage in the thick of a forest. The reader is told he is blissfully happy there. One day a bear asks to share his abode, promising to help with chores; Tucker's acceptance disrupts his idyllic lifestyle. He patiently suffers through the animal's awful cooking and watches dishes break in the bear's clumsy paws. The bear ``didn't seem to be good at anything.'' When the furry creature disappears with the first snow--presumably to hibernate--the boy is unexpectedly lonely. Tucker, as well as the reader, is relieved to see the bear return with the spring thaw. The lush paintings, reminiscent of Jan Brett's work, contain a wealth of interior and exterior detail. The bear, however, is the least attractive aspect of the illustrations; he is an incongruous cartoon in his surroundings. Still, Chambless has succeeded in creating a pleasing fairy tale with the valuable lesson that friends are to be loved and cherished for themselves and their companionship, and their weaknesses overlooked. Ages 4-7. (Sept.)