My Friend Bear

Eddy and the Bear #3

by Jez Alborough

Eddy and the Bear are both feeling sad. They both wish they had a friend to talk to. All they've got are their teddies, and teddies can't talk. Or can they?

Genres: Picture Books, Childrens, Friendship, Animals, Fiction, Storytime, Juvenile

32 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1998

About the author

Jez is the author and illustrator of 48 books for children. In 2018 he published The Story of 'You' his first book for adults, the first in a series called Life Beyond Personality. He says: "We enter this world as pure Oneness, (what I call our ‘original state of Being’) but we lose this as we become identified with our Personality. In that identification, the Stillness and Love of our Original State is overshadowed by the suffering of the Personality.

"Our Personality creates its own dream from the deep-seated beliefs and emotions it harbours; a dream that can be full of emotional distress, over-thinking and the constant investment in a future which never quite delivers on the belief: ‘When I get this I’ll be happy.’ The Story of ‘You’ suggests it’s possible to wake up out of that dream. When that happens, a whole new adventure begins in a life beyond the Personality."

The Infinite Journey, the second Book in the series, is published in early 2019.


Children's Books

His Eddy and the Bear trilogy (which began with the much-loved Where's My Teddy in 1992) has sold nearly four and a half million copies and was made into an BAFTA award-winning animated television series.

Duck in the Truck (published in 1999) heralded the start of another bestselling series, this time featuring the irrepressible Duck and his three friends - Frog, Goat and Sheep. There are currently nine books in the Duck series and almost than 1.5 million copies have been sold.

In 2000 Jez created Hug - a powerful and touching book of only three words about a baby chimpanzee called Bobo who loses his Mom. Oprah Winfrey raved about it on her show when she chose it for her recommended reading list while Richard Curtis (the writer and director of Four Weddings and a Funeral) selected it as one of his ‘Best Books’, calling it ‘classic family drama which holds up well next to Jez’s other masterpieces.’ Bobo went on to star in thee more classics; Tall ( which along with Hug won the Oppenheim Toy Portfolio Platinum Book Award) Yes and Play. The series has sold almost 3 million copies.

Jez lives in West London. You can read more about his books for children in the JezAlborough.com library and about The Story of 'You' at LifeBeyondPersonality.com.

Jez's Facebook page is: http://www.facebook.com/jezalborough and you can follow him on Twitter: https://twitter.com/jezalborough

Reviews

[Les Wilson · Rating 4 out of 5]

An enjoyable family read time time

[Rod Brown]

A cute follow-up to the previous two books deals with loneliness and friendship. It's so fun to read out loud, even if there's no one else in the room.

While putting this book into my LibraryThing collection I was surprised to discover that a short-lived animated series based on the books had aired on British television starting in 2001 and had even generated a spin-off series of books drawn in the cartoon style. I'm almost tempted to seek them out, but I bet they're nowhere as good as Alborough's original books. It may be best to leave well enough alone.

[Fazeena · Rating 4 out of 5]

My friend bear is story about Eddy and a bear who feel lonely and sad as they don’t have any friends that they can talk to and spend time with. They talk to their teddies but unfortunately the teddies don’t talk back so they get very lonely. Eddy sees that the bear is upset because he does not have any friends and he has no one to talk to. Eddy pretends to be the bear and tells him not to be upset and that he can talk to him if he wants to. The bear thinks that his teddy is talking which in reality is Eddy. When the bear finds out that it was Eddy, he feels a little bit silly and starts to laugh. This marks the start of the friendship between Eddy and the bear.

This book is interesting as it is about two people who are lonely and their journey to happiness. I like the illustrations used and how the Eddies and the teddies name rhyme. The book in interesting to read to the whole class as well as using for guided reading sessions. This book can be used during friendship week as the class can discuss how they can be friends with everyone and how to be caring towards them. This book can be read by all ages.

[Shemona · Rating 4 out of 5]

‘My friend Bear’ by Jez Alborough is a great text to read to all as it entails themes of friendship and loneliness. The story consists of two main characters, one being a little boy named Eddy who owns a teddy called Freddy. Eddy is lonely and wishes he has someone to talk to as his teddy bear is just a toy who never replies. The other character is ‘Bear’ who is equally upset due to his lack of friends. Both characters come across each other in the middle of the woods and at first are quite scared of one another. They then realise how both are in need of a friend and share a joke which overcomes their initial apprehension. They become friends, play games and plan to meet on the next day. It is a story which would be great for PSHE and friendship week in schools as well as in the EYFS and Key Stage 1. The story has ABAB rhyming couplet throughout the text which would be great when introducing children to rhyme.

[Nina Harris]

My daughter just brought this home from the Library. I was thrilled. 'Where's my Teddy' by Jez Alborough is a family favorite. I had no idea there was a sequel out there. We read it right away. It is wonderful.

[Amanda · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this with Pre-K when we were talking about friendship. I loved this book! It was a last-minute pick and it worked out great.

[Kelly · Rating 4 out of 5]

Reading this book through a child's eyes, I loved it. It was fun and silly, easy to follow (even though there is a communication mix-up!), and had nice illustrations.

[Julianna · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reviewed for THC Reviews
My Friend Bear is the third and final book in Jez Alborough’s Eddy and the Bear children’s picture book series. In the first two books, Eddy and the bear were afraid of each other. In this one, both Eddy and the bear are feeling sad because they have no friends. Eddy is in the forest one day and comes across the bear’s giant teddy, which he immediately recognizes as belonging to the big bear that scared him before. When he hears noises, he hides behind the giant teddy. The bear appears, crying, so Eddy consoles him by giving a voice to his big teddy. Eventually the bear figures out what’s actually going on and the pair have a great laugh over the fact that the bear thought his teddy could talk. Then they spend the day together, pretending to make their teddies talk to one another, and by the time the day is over, they’ve become the best of friends.

The first two books of the series were pretty humorous, especially the first one. My Friend Bear still has touches of humor as Eddy and the bear pretend to give voices to their teddies. Mostly, though, this is a really sweet book about making friends. Readers got to see these two being very scared of each other in the previous books, but this time, Eddy shows a little bravery, as well as empathy for the sad, lonely bear, and it pays off in helping them both make a new friend. The illustrations are cute and express just the right amount of emotions, whether it’s sadness, fear, laughter, or caring. Overall, this entire book series has been awesome and has left me looking forward to checking out more of the author’s work.

[Kimberly]

3-4 phrases/sentences per page that rhyme a bit. About a boy name Eddie who has a teddy bear and a giant bear comes talking to the teddy bear, and meets Eddie, and Eddie and the giant bear become friends even though it is unexpected. They go back to their separate places and are no longer lonely. Message is that you can make unexpected friends and that having friends helps you not be lonely. Big bright illustrations, white child.

[olivia toko · Rating 5 out of 5]

My Friend Bear is a journey of two characters who both feel lonely. The main characters both have no one to talk to about their emotions so they meet in the woods and become friends. The story covers the topics of friendship and loneliness for children. The book also carries out a rhyme pattern throughout and includes vivid illustrations.

[Emma · Rating 3 out of 5]

Two lonely hearts and two beary good Teddies help create a friendship.

I like that both characters show so many emotions through these pages. Timidness, sadness, loneliness all give way to silliness, giggles, fun times and a friendship, through the simple act of bravery, (whilst ironically hiding), in giving a teddy bear a voice of reason.

[Gabby · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is so sweet and had me smiling the whole way through! I loved the rhymes and the relationship between the bear and the boy. The illustrations were also wonderful, showing how great the friendship between the boy and the bear was!

[Miss Becky · Rating 5 out of 5]

Bear is sad and Eddie cheers him up by voicing for the big teddy bear. Bear thinks his Tedddy can talk until he discovers Eddie. Then they each have their teddy bears talk to each other. SO Much fun and silly.

[Tracy Schillemore · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was looking at this book for my teddy bear storytime but discovered that it would be an excellent book for a friendship storytime too.

[BiblioBeruthiel · Rating 3 out of 5]

This one is a bit longer than the other two of this set. They work really well as a trio.

[Kate Reynolds · Rating 4 out of 5]

Solid 4 stars. Cute, rhyming story with a good-hearted message. Pictures were bright and engaging.

[Dalton Prather · Rating 2 out of 5]

I use to have a friend bear. He ate all my honey!

[NinaB · Rating 5 out of 5]

My favorite book to read to my kids when they were little.

[Melissa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lincoln and I are still quoting this one and laughing

[Kathryn · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5

[Chloe · Rating 4 out of 5]

A book centred on loneliness and friendship. Great for KS1 teaching of rhyme.

[Emily · Rating 3 out of 5]

A little bit confusing as to where the giant teddy came from. Nice rhyming sequence. Good for bedtime reading as nice calm rhythm.

[Sarah · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was a heart-warming follow-up to the Where's My Teddy? book. This one left us in a happier place than the other book.

[Pinky · Rating 3 out of 5]

Eddy the bear makes a friend named Eddie.

[Awjtf · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved it!

[Set · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well written, rhymes and witty. The little boy and bear banter with one another and eventually make friends.

[Elizabeth Tyree · Rating 3 out of 5]

a very cute book about friendship

[Emily · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is quite a nice story about a big bear and a little boy becoming friends. There is quite a lot of rhyming language in the book and sometimes I feel it takes away from the story too much.

[Lindsey Duncan]

This book a book about being lonely and wanting to talk to someone. I think students will be able to relate to this.

[Alexsandra Diaz · Rating 4 out of 5]

In this book two character Eddy and his friend bear both have teddy bears but feel lonely because they have no one to talk to. Each of the see that they are upset with the teddy bears because they don’t talk back, so they decide that bear will talk to Eddy. The bear then realizes that it was Eddy who he was talking too and laughs because he realizes they were friends all along. This book is a great example of how we sometimes feel lonely but do not realize that we have a friend close by the entire time. It is a journey from loneliness to happiness. It is a great book about friendship and how it can be right in front of you but you don’t always know it. This story is a fictional because the little boy Eddy talks to a bear who is his best friend.