Les Lettres de l'ourse

by Gauthier David, Marie Caudry

Bear can’t imagine a whole winter without her friend, so when Bird migrates south, Bear decides to follow. She’s never left the forest before, but that won’t stop her from crossing oceans and mountains—and sending letters along the way. But a surprise is waiting for Bear on the beach… 

Richly told in amusing letters and lush illustrations, this adventurous story invites readers to consider just how far they’d go for their friends.

Genres: Picture Books, Animals, Birds, Childrens, Fiction, Travel, Friendship

54 pages, Paperback

First published August 29, 2012

Reviews

[DaNae · Rating 5 out of 5]

Enchanting road-trip, for intrepid explores with wide hearts.

[Cheryl]

Surreal and dreamy and imaginative... but in a good way? You'll have to decide for yourself. I won't rate. I will only confess that it didn't quite work for me.

[Vera Godley · Rating 5 out of 5]

This sweet story visits the days when folks wrote letters by hand to dear friends. It also is reminiscent of taking a vacation and writing a daily post card or note to a loved one or friend as you journey along on your trip sharing the sights and experiences with them.

But it is not that which is prompting Bear to write these letters. His friend, Bird, has migrated as is his custom; and Bear, missing Bird dreadfully, decides that rather than hibernate, as is his custom, he will travel to be where Bird is.

As he travels he encounters dark woods that are scary, water where he is entangled in a fishing net, the crossfire of warriors, desert perils, and more. He tells a bit in each letter and keeps saying, "I'm coming."

The illustrations are softly drawn in muted tones of greens, blues, browns, yellows, rust (or orange). They tell the story in just enough detail that a child can experience the adventure and find bits and pieces of the story in the details.

A lovely tale of friendship, evoking letter writing skills and perseverance. I highly recommend this gentle read.

DISCLOSURE: I received a complimentary copy to facilitate a review. Opinions are mine, alone and are freely given.

[April · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is one of my favorite books read during literature circles in class. A little lengthy, but it's very cute. It demonstrates friendship and loyalty through an unlikely pair of animal friends, a bird and a bear. The bird was migrating south for the winter and the bear didn't want to be apart for that long so he didn't to go south for the winter too and runs into all sorts of shenanigan's and writes to the bird all about it.

[Elisabeth · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars. Beautiful, beautiful art.

[Lea_ecrit · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 ? 3.5 ?
Je ne suis pas fan des illustrations, mais j'aime beaucoup l'originalité de l'album ✨️
Les lettres sont touchantes et les messages sont forts.

[Ashlyn DeBoever · Rating 3 out of 5]

In this epistolary picture book with a 2012 copywrite date that won the Outstanding International Books Award, main character Bear writes a series of letters to Bird who never writes him back, leaving Bear concerned that Bird did not migrate safely to the south. Thus, he decides to set out on a journey in an attempt to find Bird where he faced many challenges and befriends several other animals who help him out and provide guidance. In my classroom, this book could be used to teach about families who have been separated from each other due to displacement and attempt to write to/find each other with no success.

[Melanie Rivera · Rating 4 out of 5]

(OUTSTANDING INTERNATIONAL BOOK) It was a good book lots of letters to bird but it was interesting to see all of bears adventures and how he misses bird.

[Jason · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a slow-grower, but if you let it work its magic, you will have a sublime sort of experience that you won't quite be able to put words to. It's a bit about life, and a bit about friendship, and a bit about adventure, and a bit about how sometimes you put a lot of effort into something and then you just end up right where you started but somehow it's still okay.

[FM Family · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was not for me. It was too long, and too, Alice in wonderland-ish. Like too much surreal stuff in the bear's journey and one of those friendships in a kids book where you're like - are they friends, are they in love with eachother, what's going on. That said, for people who like a spooky or surreal vibe, this is the book for you!

[Linda · Rating 5 out of 5]

When Bird migrates, Bear's sadness and reluctance to prepare for hibernation takes an unexpected turn, according to story-teller David Gauthier. Bear takes off to visit Bird, to try to understand why the southern move every year when winter arrives. Through dark and scary woods, finding shelter with an owl and a stag from two armies at war, partying with a variety of animals on a squirrel's 100th birthday, and being rescued from a fisherman's net by a mermaid, the adventures are told in letters to friend Bird, a kind of travelogue. There is so much more when viewing Marie Gaudry's illustrations, filled with Bear's travel path, but revealing some hidden surprises when one looks closer, like faces in cliff 'faces' and whales in ocean waves. It is a loving story of strong friendship, perseverance, animals helping animals in any way possible plus a surprising (and satisfying) end.
I'd love to use this book as a mentor text for pretending to travel, writing a letter about it, then illustrating. Whether truth or fiction, it would be fun!

[Erin Thompson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Award: Global International Project
Copyright: March 24th, 2020

Letters from Bear is a story about a bear who misses his friend brid very much. Bear decides instead of hunkering down for the winter he is going to write bird letters everyday and embark on a journey to where bird is at. We follow bear along his journey and meeting new friends along the way.

This would be an amazing book to have in a classroom library to help my students who may have moved here and are missing their friends, or students who have had a friend move away. I would use this book to help my students learn the value of writting a letter to a friend or loved one they don't see as often.

[Caroline]

This year, Bear decides he cannot stand to be away from his best friend Bird when he flies south for the winter, so he follows him to the island where he spends his winters. Making a long, dangerous journey.

An epistolary picture book, bear writes letters to his friend detailing his adventures. Line-drawn illustrations in muted tones add to the magical weirdness of this story about friendship. A French import with an old-world fairy tale quality that will entrance readers looking for something interesting.

[Sarah Threlkeld · Rating 4 out of 5]

A quirky and delightful epistolary tale of a bear who leaves home and goes on a remarkable journey south to find her best friend, Bird. From being saved by a mermaid to attending a woodland costume party, many of the events Bear writes about are clearly imagined, which adds to the whimsical nature of the story. Originally published in Belgium, the book definitely has a European sensibility. This would be a lovely class read aloud to practice making predictions, and it would also work well as a mentor text for letter writing,

[Elizabeth Zagumennyy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Date: March 2020
Genre: Picturebook
Award: OIB

This is a gentle, sweet story, Bear writes letters to her friend Bird as she travels across the world to find her. Each letter describes a different place she visits, with whimsical illustrations showing her journey through forests, mountains, and seas. The pacing is calm and thoughtful, making the reunion feel very warm. It was cute seeing how the story went through, as Bear passed through so many landscapes and got to see the diversity of nature, though it was uncomfortable, she did it for the sake of a friend and ended up enjoying it.

[Marie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Letters From Bear is sweet, but a little long for a picture book. The pictures are soft and muted. Joe enjoyed looking for bear in each new scene. Each page is another letter from Bear to his friend Bird, who migrated south for the winter. Bear decided he missed Bird too much, and starts traveling south himself to join Bird. I enjoyed it, but it might almost be more of an older kid or even adult picture book. I felt that some of it, including the epistolary format, went over Joe's head.

[Lin Owens · Rating 5 out of 5]

Letters from Bear by Gauthier David Bear writes letters to Bird as he travels to meet his friend only to find a surprise at the end.

[Maeve · Rating 1 out of 5]

Bear writes letters to his friend, Bird, as they each prepare for the winter. But Bear has decided that he does not want to hibernate, and instead sets off to find Bird. Through letters, Bear describes his journey...only to find that Bird did not want to be separated from Bear!

Surrealist to the point of absurd...I could not get into this book.

[Dana Storytime Account · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a really cute book, although it was a little long for what I feel most children would sit for. I think it could be a really cute book to read like a letter every night and space it out though.

[Edward Sullivan · Rating 4 out of 5]

An enchanting, whimsical epistolary tale of a bear who leaves home and goes on a remarkable journey south to find her best friend, Bird. A charming story with a delightful European sensibility. Originally published in Belgium.

[Victoria Sanchez · Rating 5 out of 5]

Bear misses Bird terribly so ventures out on a gorgeous adventure, all the while documenting the journey via a series of letter to beloved Bird.

Quirky illustrations, the shock of the new, vivid encounters with war, costume parties, and ingenious birds. And the most romantic, empathic bear ever.

[Kathryn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bear writes the most wonderful, concise letters to her best friend as she journeys to understand her friend better. This is a beautiful book about friendship and the lost art of letter writing and making sacrifices to show another being understanding and love.

[Pamela · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's really an enchanting and sweet book that lets you join the adventure of Bear, who wants to join her friend Bird in the South after the latter migrated. The illustrations are also nice, in my opinion.

[Sarah · Rating 3 out of 5]

beautiful pictures. dream-like, magical, very surreal. not sure how children will respond to it though.

[Kelly · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed the tenderness in Bear's letters to bird. Bears drive to get to his friend is highlighted by his adventures along the way. It is so sweet.

[Alyssa Gudenburr · Rating 2 out of 5]

I thought the illustrations were a little on the creepy side.

[Kris · Rating 2 out of 5]

Friendship and adventure story told through lovely letters. Not a first purchase as it was a bit too long with illustrations that may or may not appeal to intended audience.

[Elizabeth Hassinger · Rating 3 out of 5]

I think this book would have been better if there was some sort of explanation given as to why bear and bird mattered so much to each other in the first place.

[Susan Dunn]

Batchelder consideration. A lonely bear travels across the world to find his friend bird - only to find that bird has left to return to him as well.

[charlene.librarian · Rating 3 out of 5]

Quirky whimsy.