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Mother Bruce #4
Santa Bruce
Bruce is a lot of things. He is a bear. He is a grump. He is a pretty decent cook. And he is a mother.
One thing Bruce is not?
Santa Claus.
But that doesn't stop the whole forest from lining up to give him their Christmas wishes when he becomes the victim of mistaken identity - again.
One thing Bruce is not?
Santa Claus.
But that doesn't stop the whole forest from lining up to give him their Christmas wishes when he becomes the victim of mistaken identity - again.
40 pages, Hardcover
First published September 4, 2018
11 people are currently reading
499 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 286 reviews
December 21, 2019
This series about Bruce the grumpy bear is fantastic. I have become a fan of Ryan’s. His ideas are crisp, clean and so concrete. I love his eye for illustrations too. His characters are well done.
Bruce wants to sleep all winter. (I can relate to that.) His family of extremely hyper and cheerful kids are great at ignoring Bruce’s grumpy side and they drag him into anything they want. Bruce puts on long underwear and a hat to be warm and people mistake him for Santa Claus. He hides inside, but his family let them all in and all the children have to sit on his lap. Then the family fix up a sleigh and make Bruce deliver the gifts. There is something so joyful about seeing this grumpy ol’ bear having to do these cheerful things. My favorite scene is we see inside a rabbit burrow and off in a side room the caption says “Grown bunny living at home” and he’s playing video games. That was a nice touch.
It’s a feel good book that combines sweet and savory together and it leaves you feeling amazing. This is one of my new favorite Christmas books.
The nephew loves this book. He adores ol’ Bruce and his mice children. He thinks Bruce is a hoot and a holler (my phrase). He wanted to read this over again. We read it again with his sister and she loved it too. It’s always nice when we can all read together again. He gave this 5 stars and she gave it 4 stars. The power of the Bruce.
Bruce wants to sleep all winter. (I can relate to that.) His family of extremely hyper and cheerful kids are great at ignoring Bruce’s grumpy side and they drag him into anything they want. Bruce puts on long underwear and a hat to be warm and people mistake him for Santa Claus. He hides inside, but his family let them all in and all the children have to sit on his lap. Then the family fix up a sleigh and make Bruce deliver the gifts. There is something so joyful about seeing this grumpy ol’ bear having to do these cheerful things. My favorite scene is we see inside a rabbit burrow and off in a side room the caption says “Grown bunny living at home” and he’s playing video games. That was a nice touch.
It’s a feel good book that combines sweet and savory together and it leaves you feeling amazing. This is one of my new favorite Christmas books.
The nephew loves this book. He adores ol’ Bruce and his mice children. He thinks Bruce is a hoot and a holler (my phrase). He wanted to read this over again. We read it again with his sister and she loved it too. It’s always nice when we can all read together again. He gave this 5 stars and she gave it 4 stars. The power of the Bruce.
December 23, 2022
When a grumpy bear named Bruce skips hibernating for the winter and goes out to shovel snow in a red suit and hat -- Santa Bruce is born. Soon the forest critters are sitting on his lap and telling him what they want for Christmas. Next thing he knows he is in a makeshift sleigh (made from a big sled and a red wagon with four geese as reindeer. Kids will laugh when they see that it isn't long before the geese are riding in the "sleigh" while "Santa" holds the bag of gifts (boxes of crackers) and pulls them along. The older crowd will giggle when they see little details like the "grown-up bunny who still lives with his parents" tapping away on his den computer well into the night. While Bruce may have brought a lot of joy to his forest friends, he is definitely planning to sleep through Christmas next year as usual.
December 18, 2021
Grumpy bear Bruce is at it again. Or I should say, everyone else is at it again, making Bruce’s life difficult. You know, with all the Christmas cheer and joy. Can’t they understand that poor Bruce just wants to be left alone? 😆 I love these books so much! Bruce is quite the character! His little animal friends/children are adorable. Higgins includes humorous lines for both children and adults. I bought this one as a gift for a friend so she could read it to her grandson. She and I were laughing and crying while we read it. Perfect Christmas read for kids!
May 1, 2019
Boy, are those mice ever annoying!
Poor Bruce. All he wants to do is enjoy his winter staycation at home. But he doesn't like the cold much, so he wears his long underwear and hat. Unfortunately, they're red, which leads to him being mistaken for Santa Claus. The mice take it one step further by telling everyone in the forest that Bruce will be delivering presents to all the kids!
Bruce does manage to make the best of things. Even though he's grumpy, he goes along with the scheme (he's not a terrible bear, really). With his geese dressed up as ineffectual reindeer, Bruce sets out to make Christmas merry for the whole neighbourhood.
The pictures are just as fun in this book as they are in all the others. And I don't really mind the story. But... those mice are really starting to grate on my nerves. They're so presumptuous! It was funny at first, but now I'm starting to wonder if they're pathological.
In any case, if you've been following Bruce's story from the beginning, you'll want to check out Santa Bruce as well, if for no other reason than to be able to say you've read the whole series.
Poor Bruce. All he wants to do is enjoy his winter staycation at home. But he doesn't like the cold much, so he wears his long underwear and hat. Unfortunately, they're red, which leads to him being mistaken for Santa Claus. The mice take it one step further by telling everyone in the forest that Bruce will be delivering presents to all the kids!
Bruce does manage to make the best of things. Even though he's grumpy, he goes along with the scheme (he's not a terrible bear, really). With his geese dressed up as ineffectual reindeer, Bruce sets out to make Christmas merry for the whole neighbourhood.
The pictures are just as fun in this book as they are in all the others. And I don't really mind the story. But... those mice are really starting to grate on my nerves. They're so presumptuous! It was funny at first, but now I'm starting to wonder if they're pathological.
In any case, if you've been following Bruce's story from the beginning, you'll want to check out Santa Bruce as well, if for no other reason than to be able to say you've read the whole series.
December 28, 2018
Grumps are my people. :) They always make me smile and giggle. And Mr. Higgins created one of my favorite grumpy bears of the fictional world in Mother Bruce. So I jumped for joy when I spotted Bruce all dressed up for the holidays.
Bruce’s face makes me giggle every time. His expressions! Haha…Pair his grumpiness with the over-the-top, can’t-contain-it joy of the mice and you’ve got yourself a laugh out loud read!
But this visit with the gang lacked the heart I usually adore from a Bruce tale. The grumpy humor vibe is a hard line to walk though. You need just enough grumpiness and humor and heart to make it all work. This one was missing a dash or two of heart for me. Still had fun here, but not as much as I usually do.
The red long johns on Bruce are priceless! :D
Check it out from your local library.
October 16, 2018
Once again, Bruce is mistaken for someone-he-is-not. This time, it’s Santa. Bruce, with the cajoling of his friends, agrees to deliver Christmas presents to all the forest children, and, after many misadventures, he succeeds.
It’s another Bruce story, with all the fun grumpy Bruce combined with sweet forest animals makes.
It’s another Bruce story, with all the fun grumpy Bruce combined with sweet forest animals makes.
December 10, 2023
… this is going to be a great christmas! No migrating! No hibernating! Just family.
- Actually, bears don’t hibernate. They spend the winter in a state of lethargy.
- Honk!
- Shhhhh! You are ruining the Christmas spirit.
- I thought we were spending winter in the state of Maine ….
- Zzzzzz!
(A family of three 🐭 one stork 🦆 and one 🐻)
- Actually, bears don’t hibernate. They spend the winter in a state of lethargy.
- Honk!
- Shhhhh! You are ruining the Christmas spirit.
- I thought we were spending winter in the state of Maine ….
- Zzzzzz!
(A family of three 🐭 one stork 🦆 and one 🐻)
January 3, 2019
Bruce is a bear. A VERY Grumpy Bear. Who does NOT like Christmas. But nobody listens when Bruce says he does not like Christmas, and that he just wants to sleep through winter. Oh no. Bruce is mistaken for Santa, and soon ALL the little woodland animals want to sit on Santa Bruce's lap and tell him their Christmas wishes. Things go from bad, to worse, as far as poor Bruce is concerned.
Another laugh-out-loud installment in the Bruce books. My coworkers know that when they see a new one come through our library, to let me know because I get such a kick out of Bruce-the-Bear (who bears a startling similarity of appearance to my husband).
Another laugh-out-loud installment in the Bruce books. My coworkers know that when they see a new one come through our library, to let me know because I get such a kick out of Bruce-the-Bear (who bears a startling similarity of appearance to my husband).
September 13, 2018
Probably more of a 3.5 star rating, but rounding up because Christmas. :)
September 26, 2018
In this on going series, Bruce is a victim of mistaken identity and his woodland friends believe he is "Santa"
October 18, 2018
This was adorable, entertaining, and I really enjoyed the art :)
May 11, 2021
Omg this is a whole series now! A franchise?
Poor Bruce. Though this is still hilarious, with all the little details like the porcupine who wants balloons and the bunny on the computer (read for the rest of the details!) there is no hope that Bruce is actually, in his heart, having a good time, even at the end (which does resemble the Grinch's end).
If the bear wants to sleep through Christmas, he should be allowed to. Raising the dang geese was enough. Unless he's just being stubborn to save face, and is really having a good time? What do *you* think??
Poor Bruce. Though this is still hilarious, with all the little details like the porcupine who wants balloons and the bunny on the computer (read for the rest of the details!) there is no hope that Bruce is actually, in his heart, having a good time, even at the end (which does resemble the Grinch's end).
If the bear wants to sleep through Christmas, he should be allowed to. Raising the dang geese was enough. Unless he's just being stubborn to save face, and is really having a good time? What do *you* think??
February 22, 2023
Every time I see crackers now, I say it like the beaver in the audiobook of this book 😂😂 CRAaaaaackerrrrs!
My kids (even the big one at age 13) loved this book because its funny af. I love the humor of it all and the mistaken identity. And the teenage rabbit living at home playing video games 😂
My kids (even the big one at age 13) loved this book because its funny af. I love the humor of it all and the mistaken identity. And the teenage rabbit living at home playing video games 😂
November 30, 2023
Kiva piirrostyyli, mutta en oikein innostunut Mörrin pakottamisesta Joulupukiksi, jos hän ei nauti jooulusta.
November 28, 2018
Bruce the bear is once again the victim of mistaken identity in this hilarious holiday title! Wanting nothing more than to sleep, our ursine hero instead finds that his family of goslings and mice insist on a Christmas celebration together. Grouchily shoveling snow, he is taken for Santa, and despite his vehement denials, is soon besieged by all of the forest's young inhabitants, determined to give their holiday gift wishes to him. Will Bruce say "Bah Humbug!" to it all, or will his anserine and murine charges convince him to become Santa in reality...?
Like its predecessors, Santa Bruce is a chuckle-inducing hoot! The story itself is amusing, and the artwork droll. The juxtaposition of Bruce's grouchy face, and far-from-cheery demeanor, with the over-the-top enthusiasm of the mice is, as it is in all of author/artist Ryan T. Higgins' books about these characters, immensely amusing. There are a number of little details - the reference to the state of Maine (Higgins' home state), the fact that Bruce (inevitably) ends up pulling the sleigh - that were particularly funny. Recommended to fans of the Mother Bruce books, and to anyone looking for Christmas stories about being out of sorts, and just not in the Christmas Spirit...
Like its predecessors, Santa Bruce is a chuckle-inducing hoot! The story itself is amusing, and the artwork droll. The juxtaposition of Bruce's grouchy face, and far-from-cheery demeanor, with the over-the-top enthusiasm of the mice is, as it is in all of author/artist Ryan T. Higgins' books about these characters, immensely amusing. There are a number of little details - the reference to the state of Maine (Higgins' home state), the fact that Bruce (inevitably) ends up pulling the sleigh - that were particularly funny. Recommended to fans of the Mother Bruce books, and to anyone looking for Christmas stories about being out of sorts, and just not in the Christmas Spirit...
January 24, 2019
First sentence: Bruce was a bear who did not like the holidays. He used to stay in bed all winter long and skip right through the whole business. But his family wanted to enjoy a cozy, snow-filled Christmas together. So Bruce was awake.
Premise/plot: Who is surprised that Bruce does not like Christmas? Anyone?! My favorite grumpy bear is back in Santa Bruce. It's another case of MISTAKEN IDENTITY. It all starts when Bruce starts wearing long underwear and a warm hat. Chaos follows.
My thoughts: I love, love, love these characters. Reading a story with Bruce in it just makes my day. This is the fifth book in the series. Unfortunately, my library does not have Hotel Bruce. (I have requested that they order it. We'll see.) I love the writing, the story, the characters, the illustrations. This series is a must if you like giggles.
Original audience born circa 2012 to 2015.
Text: 5 out of 5
Illustrations: 5 out of 5
Total: 10 out of 10
Premise/plot: Who is surprised that Bruce does not like Christmas? Anyone?! My favorite grumpy bear is back in Santa Bruce. It's another case of MISTAKEN IDENTITY. It all starts when Bruce starts wearing long underwear and a warm hat. Chaos follows.
My thoughts: I love, love, love these characters. Reading a story with Bruce in it just makes my day. This is the fifth book in the series. Unfortunately, my library does not have Hotel Bruce. (I have requested that they order it. We'll see.) I love the writing, the story, the characters, the illustrations. This series is a must if you like giggles.
Original audience born circa 2012 to 2015.
Text: 5 out of 5
Illustrations: 5 out of 5
Total: 10 out of 10
Read
October 9, 2018I loved this story. I know the feeling of being grumpy at the holidays and wanting to hibernate like Bruce wants to. Hehe. It's was also so much fun to see the geese and mice making Christmas special. I read this one to my 6 year old grandson and he giggled the whole way through. When I asked him what he liked best, he told me the pictures specially the geese and mice. It's the perfect addition to any child's Christmas library! Enjoy this one for the holidays.
September 24, 2018
From the Ryan T. Higgins oeuvre, I love Bruce but find the mice from Be Quiet! annoying. This books combines them, and I suspect some other familiar characters.
While the mice convincingly drive the increasing annoyance of Bruce, I still could have done with a little less of them.
I have to acknowledge that he blended the styles of the books well. Also, I still love Bruce (and his goslings).
While the mice convincingly drive the increasing annoyance of Bruce, I still could have done with a little less of them.
I have to acknowledge that he blended the styles of the books well. Also, I still love Bruce (and his goslings).
October 16, 2018
I really struggle with this series because I so love Bruce and I so love the geese and I so freaking hate the stupid ass mice. They're just awful. But Higgins' illustration style is fabulous, Bruce's facial expressions kill me, and the story is indeed full of grumpy Christmas cheer. It's what you'd expect from a Bruce tale. I just need the mice to hibernate... forever.
November 26, 2018
Good for a holiday book, but not quite as much fun as the original Mother Bruce. Illustrations are still absolutely adorable and parents will be able to sympathize with Bruce who just wants to hibernate through the holidays.
December 9, 2018
We love Bruce and his family of animals. This is a funny story of how the animals in his community bring the magic of Christmas to their kids and Bruce mistakenly gets identified as Santa. Hilarity ensues.
December 11, 2018
My daughter loved this book. She enjoyed the illustrations and she thought the main character's grumpy attitude was silly. She thought the mice and geese were wonderful and loved their holiday spirit.
December 20, 2018
There are many holiday books, beautifully written & illustrated, sweetly nostalgic, but if you want a good laugh while being "merry" this time of year, there is this one, with all the woodland animals happy as can be, except for Bruce, maybe?
January 5, 2019
The mother Bruce series is by far my absolute favorite picture book series . I am obsessed !!! I love Bruce , the geese , and the mice !!! The illustrations are beyond amazing . If you have a child ...... buy this book. Oh and buy the rest in the series also . Your kids will thank you for it :)
May 19, 2019
Love the colorful illustrations and the story was cute. Not sure if there is a lesson in there though. No matter how much good Bruce does he never gets joy out of it. I keep hoping at the end of one of these Bruce books he will realize how much everyone appreciates him and he will smile.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 25, 2018
Bruce wants to sleep through Christmas, but his family has other ideas. Very expressive faces on the woodland characters. I love that the little girl beaver asks for a power compound miter saw.
October 8, 2018
A very cute story with great illustrations. This is sure to get a laugh out of any grump on Christmas ;)
December 1, 2018
Confession from a nutty mom: I love Bruce stories! I always get a few giggles when I’m reading them aloud.
December 12, 2018
Ha. Can’t help but feel a little bad for Bruce while being amused by his predicament. Cute book.
January 6, 2019
the great thing about this was the absence of a "happy" ending where Bruce's heart melts and he is no longer a grump. He remains a grump. Good for you, Bruce.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 286 reviews