Grizzly Boy

by Barbara Davis-Pyles, Tracy Subisak (Illustrator)

One morning Theo decides he is no longer human. "I'm a GRIZZLY! I'm WILD AND FREE!" But being a grizzly boy isn't easy if you still have to go to school.

A fun, endearing, and sweet picture book, Grizzly Boy will have "wild and free" little grizzlies everywhere asking for repeat readings.

One day Theo wakes up and decides he's a grizzly bear. He leaps out of bed, practices his growl . . . and his roar. . . and scratches his bottom on the bedpost. "Oh my! That's very convincing," his mother responds.

When Theo finds a bowl of lettuce and berries for breakfast instead of his favorite Frosted Monster Bites cereal, he is still determined to have a day that's wild and free, but he finds it's more difficult than he expected, especially when you have a clever mother and still have to go to school where there are rules and more rules!

After a challenging day as a grizzly boy at school, Theo learns you can follow the rules and still enjoy being wild and free!

Genres: Picture Books, Animals, Childrens, Family, Fiction, Emotion, Humor

32 pages, Hardcover

Published September 4, 2018

Reviews

[Cindy Mitchell *Kiss the Book* · Rating 3 out of 5]

Grizzly Boy by Barbara Davis-Pyles, illustrated by Tracy Subisak. PICTURE BOOK. Little Bigfoot (Sasquatch Books), 2018. $18. 9781632171689

Theo, a young boy, decides he is wild and free and wants to be a grizzly bear. This gets him in trouble at school and he doesn’t realize the consequences of his actions until his mother also decides to act like a grizzly bear. Finally, they decide to just be part grizzly, the best parts.

The plot is a little hard to follow in this book and there is one bare bum image to be aware of. I like the idea of giving young readers some language for the feelings of not wanting to be controlled, but I’m not sure it works all that well in this book.

EL (K-3) - OPTIONAL. Jen Wecker
https://kissthebook.blogspot.com/2018...

[Kathy · Rating 4 out of 5]

One morning Theo decides he will be a grizzly and not have to live by human rules and restrictions. But he discovers that living as a bear does have disadvantages: no ice cream, short fur inadequate for the cold, and staying in at recess writing apologies for being mean to others. I liked that at the end his mom gets to express her frustrations too, and they decide together that it would be okay to just be part bear (the good part)

[Kelsey · Rating 3 out of 5]

Age: Preschool
Family: Mom and son
East Asian features
Emotions: Rage

Theo wants to be wild and free like a grizzly bear but soon finds out that being a bear isn't all it's cracked up to be. It's fun to watch Theo's mom exploit his dedication to be a bear by feeding him forest greens and throwing open a window while he's as naked as a bear.

[Ashley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cute drawings, a mixture of text and word bubbles (but you could skip some of the bubbles if reading to an impatient child or group). Great that the mom got to be grizzly too and then they played together. A nice story about feeling a bit grizzly sometimes.

Best for school-age kids pre-K to grade 2.

[Peacegal · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was always pretending I was "something else" as a kid, and this book will appeal to kids who have big imaginations. I liked the illustrations that incorporated elements of fantasy, like the waterfall-staircase. There was a funny twist toward the end.

[Molly Cluff (Library!) · Rating 4 out of 5]

This little boy has an aversion to rules, and just wants to run wild and free (heads up that this means NAKED at one point, haha). I like how he learns that there are certain rules you need to follow, but you can still have fun in life.

[Kaila · Rating 4 out of 5]

so cute and funny!

[Miss Sarah · Rating 2 out of 5]

A young boy decides he wants to be a grizzly bear instead of a boy. Will life be better? Preschool and up

[Megan · Rating 3 out of 5]

A boy decides he is a grizzly bear instead of a boy.

[Emily · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is cute and hilarious. Definitely one I will be re-reading several times.

[Kelly · Rating 2 out of 5]

A boy wakes up one morning and decides he wants to be a grizzly. It doesn't go so well.

[Michelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Endearing, fun, clever. Great read-aloud choice-

[Heather · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love everything about this book.

[skcocnaH · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 I LOVE the illustrative style.

[Eggy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Many opportunities for you to engage that BEASTLY BEAR VOICE! with growls and shouts.

[Kelly]

This book is really cute. I definitely can see there being grizzly boys in the wild!