Don't Let Go!

by Élisabeth Eues-Pascal

It’s a frosty day at the beach, and a polar bear family is at play among the ice floes. The cubs splash around, all except the youngest, who’s nervously hanging onto his dad in the water. He’s just not ready to swim on his own. Despite encouragement from Dad, the cub is insistent: “Don’t let go!”

Maybe a flotation device would help? One by one, the little bear adds a lifesaver, a flutter board, a pool noodle, and a rubber ball to his body, all while clutching his dad. Eventually, the cub is so loaded down with large and colorful toys that his dad is able to sneak away unnoticed. But will he still be afraid to float on his own?

This simple, funny story is told in speech bubbles and illustrations. Full of color, laughter, and polar bears in vibrant swimsuits, this is a playful and lighthearted exploration of the challenges of independence.

Genres: Childrens

32 pages, Hardcover

Published April 15, 2020

Reviews

[Carla · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is the story of a young polar bear who is afraid of the water. The rest of the family are all having fun swimming and playing in the water, but he won't let go of his father. Eventually, after having some fun and watching his siblings, he realizes that he has let go of his dad. the illustrations are cute and detailed. The text is told in speech bubbles and could be read around the page. My granddaughter thought it was all pretty funny. I was a bit worried about the behaviour of the young bear as he hit, poked and abused his poor father with the various toys, as well as being rather grabby. I hope that part was not noticeable to my granddaughter, she just thought it was funny. The publisher generously provided me with a copy of this book upon request. The rating, ideas and opinions shared are my own.

[La Coccinelle · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is a picture book done in graphic novel format featuring a little bear who won't let go of his father.

While I appreciate that this might be true to life and give parents a chuckle, I wasn't really impressed by the premise. The little bear is annoying, and the repetition just reinforces his obnoxiousness. I kind of wanted the father to just toss the kid into the water by the halfway point. It's not that he can't swim; he's just super clingy (and, as is shown on the last pages, he's simply being a manipulative brat).

The pictures are kind of unintentionally hilarious. The polar bears look pretty much like humans with bear heads, leading to an uncanny quality that put me in mind of the title character in Mr. Rabbit and the Lovely Present. (If those illustrations freak you out, you might have issues with Don't Let Go!).

For readers who like repetition and quirky pictures of overly anthropomorphized bears, this might be a winner. There's really nothing wrong with it; I just personally didn't like it all that much.

Thank you to NetGalley and Owlkids Books for providing a digital ARC.

[Anne · Rating 2 out of 5]

Don’t Let Go!
By Elisabeth Eudes- Pascal
The idea of this book inspired me to read it. What parent hasn’t felt the frustration of their child’s clinging bodies to them while trying to convince them they can manage a task on their own. The illustrations however were too busy and the verbiage not helpful. It felt like a snapshot of a meltdown rather than a tool to help parents and young ones navigate the journey to independence. Overall it was not something I would recommend.
I received this book via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review shared here.

[Storywraps · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Polar Bear family decide to spend a frosty day at the beach together. The older bear siblings dive right in but the youngest wants Daddy to hold on to him. He is nervous and lacks self-confidence when it comes to being an independent swimmer. Daddy cuddles him close hoping to give him a sense of safety and security and then the plan is to release the little guy into the cold icy water to swim all on his own. Little cub has a different idea. Despite Daddy's encouragement to let go his son keeps on insisting : "Don't let go!"

Dad tries everything to appease the little guy's fears: a lifesaver, a flutter board, a pool noodle, and even a rubber ball ( all excellent vocabulary builders by the way), but little cub only wants to cling onto his Daddy.

Will little bear finally be brave enough to go swimming on his own and let his poor exhausted Daddy have some fun in the icy water by himself?

This simple and relatable story is told in speech bubbles ( great for introducing graphic storytelling) and wonderful, humorous illustrations that greatly enrich the storyline.

I love the way that Mommy Bear seems totally detached from the drama that is going on between her mate and their son. She is having a lovely relaxing beach time enjoying the sun, reading, snacking, taking photos and accepting calls and chatting on her phone. Daddy, on the other hand, is being poked, prodded, and weighed down with his youngster's unending demands and loads of toys. Can Daddy ever escape and leave his little one to float on his own?

The colourful illustrations are lovely. They are full of action and expression. I highly recommend this book.

[Terrie Case · Rating 4 out of 5]

The little polar bear was afraid of the water but had 100% trust in his dad.

As he clings to his dad, the little polar bear is encouraged to slowly get used to the water using toys. Dad gets the brunt of the little bear by the little bear poking him and holding on. This confirms that dad won’t let go.

This is a funny, laugh out loud story for young children. It reinforces that parents will be there when the child is scared. It also shows that the parent can be trusted to keep the child safe while encouraging new activities. The illustrations are pretty and appealing.


I received an ARC from Owlkids Books through NetGalley. This in no way affects my opinion or rating. I am voluntarily submitting this review and am under no obligation to do so.

[Thena · Rating 4 out of 5]

A family of bears head out for a day of swimming. The youngest cub wants to hold on to dad instead of going in the water on his own. This can be your family at the beach. Any parent can likely recall a time when they were the dad in this story. It was a cute story. There are other things going on aside from the cub. If you’re reading aloud to kids, it’s a great way to open up the conversation with them and ask questions. The water color illustrations are beautiful. I would recommend adding this to our collection and using it in a future story time with pre-school aged children.

[joyce w. laudon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Don't Let Go is such an appealing and charmingly illustrated story that both children and parents will love.  The polar bear family goes to the beach.  One young member of the clan does not want to go into the water independently.  Watch as he is encouraged to get into the sea using a variety of toys.  See what happens to his dad in the process! 

This is a fun story. It is also sweet as it shows how parents care for their children. 

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this title in exchange for an honest review.

[Christopher Hutton · Rating 4 out of 5]

I like the real feel of the action of this. It’s more of a moment than a story. But there’s an experience about growing and clinging and being amongst play that I really enjoyed. I may be reading too much in to this, but the juxtaposition of the water melting/being warm and the appearance of the boats actually added a bit of darkness.

[Julie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received a free ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

A cute book with an interesting premise. Many children have fears they need to overcome and this shows this through an animal character.