Bevan: A Well-Loved Bear
by Petra Brown
Date: 2021
Publisher: Sleeping Bear Press
Reading level: C
Book type: picture book
Pages: 32
Format: e-book
Source: library
Over many years a teddy bear named Bevan enters the lives of different boys and girls, and after countless adventures, Bevan is old and patchy, but still loved.
(synopsis from Goodreads)
Bevan is a very old teddy bear. He once belonged to some children a long time ago. When they grew up, their nanny gave Bevan to her grandchild... and so began the journey of a teddy bear from Victorian times to the present day.
The strength of this book lies in its illustrations. The story is simple, and perhaps lacks some of the emotion that other books in this vein might have. But it's still sweet, and Bevan is a sympathetic character. I did enjoy watching the progression of time and seeing all of Bevan's various "lives" as he brings joy to a number of children.
This book reminded me of Henry Cole's One Little Bag: An Amazing Journey with its multigenerational passing-on of a beloved object. It also reminded me a bit of Kate DiCamillo's The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane (which is longer and more on the emotional side). If you enjoy books such as these, you might also like the story of Bevan the bear.
Premise: 3/5
Meter: n/a
Writing: 3/5
Illustrations: 4/5
Originality: 3/5
Enjoyment: 4/5
Overall: 3.5 out of 5
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