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Fox and Bear
Bear is Fox's safe someone. When Fox is old enough to go out on adventures, Bear always loves to hear about the memories Fox has made! But when something upsetting happens, Fox is afraid to share the hard memory with Bear. Is it safe to share sad and upsetting memories? Or can Fox keep them hidden from Bear?
With charming illustrations and sweet prose, Fox and Bear is captivating and simple enough for children to find it engaging while also being informative for adults as well, guiding them through the process of how to attune to little ones, especially those that are struggling with opening up when they are upset. Lauren Reese and Rebecca Rose Moody are both strong believers in respectful parenting. Both mothers to little ones, this book is a collaboration based on the belief that all children deserve to feel heard, seen, and loved, especially when they experience something that upsets them.
Praise for Fox and Bear
Fox and Bear gently helps children see how sharing difficult memories with a loved one can ease scary or shameful feelings. It portrays honest emotions and authentic resolutions, sprinkled with humor. The delightful illustrations keep the story warm and comforting, thereby inviting readers to open up to each other. A gem. — Jean Reagan, NYT bestselling author of How to Babysit a Grandma and How to Babysit a Grandpa
As a therapist who works with children, I am constantly asked for resources by parents that can aid them in helping their children not only feel safe, but to process emotions. This wonderful, whimsical story of a playful little Fox, and a nurturing and caring Bear will not only draw caregivers and children alike in - but their story and interactions model so many emotions that children often have a hard time identifying or processing. In this story, children can see that they aren’t alone, and they too can unload and share their backpack with others. Even when it’s scary. —GraceAnn Visser, MAAT, ATR-BC
This book is a warm and welcoming door into conversations about difficult feelings between caregivers and their children. The authors demystify emotions, both comfortable and uncomfortable, through the metaphor of the backpack, with which I suspect every child and adult will resonate. They beautifully demonstrate an important that children do not benefit from stuffing away hard feelings, but rather learn to cope with and process such feelings with the support of a safe, consistent, listening adult. It’s a must read for caregivers who struggle to respond to hard feelings in their children. I can’t wait to put this on the shelf in my therapy office and use it with children and caregivers alike! — Lauren Smith, Child Therapist
Lauren and Rebecca have created a special type of cozy magic in the book Fox and Bear. It captures your heart with whimsical, gorgeous illustrations and a playful, yet deep and meaningful story. It easily cultivates vital conversations with children in the classroom or at home to help them discover that it's okay to open up to your safe person. This a wonderful tool to help children learn to navigate the joys and hardships in life and what to do when you encounter those feelings. —Ashley Potts, elementary school teacher
With charming illustrations and sweet prose, Fox and Bear is captivating and simple enough for children to find it engaging while also being informative for adults as well, guiding them through the process of how to attune to little ones, especially those that are struggling with opening up when they are upset. Lauren Reese and Rebecca Rose Moody are both strong believers in respectful parenting. Both mothers to little ones, this book is a collaboration based on the belief that all children deserve to feel heard, seen, and loved, especially when they experience something that upsets them.
Praise for Fox and Bear
Fox and Bear gently helps children see how sharing difficult memories with a loved one can ease scary or shameful feelings. It portrays honest emotions and authentic resolutions, sprinkled with humor. The delightful illustrations keep the story warm and comforting, thereby inviting readers to open up to each other. A gem. — Jean Reagan, NYT bestselling author of How to Babysit a Grandma and How to Babysit a Grandpa
As a therapist who works with children, I am constantly asked for resources by parents that can aid them in helping their children not only feel safe, but to process emotions. This wonderful, whimsical story of a playful little Fox, and a nurturing and caring Bear will not only draw caregivers and children alike in - but their story and interactions model so many emotions that children often have a hard time identifying or processing. In this story, children can see that they aren’t alone, and they too can unload and share their backpack with others. Even when it’s scary. —GraceAnn Visser, MAAT, ATR-BC
This book is a warm and welcoming door into conversations about difficult feelings between caregivers and their children. The authors demystify emotions, both comfortable and uncomfortable, through the metaphor of the backpack, with which I suspect every child and adult will resonate. They beautifully demonstrate an important that children do not benefit from stuffing away hard feelings, but rather learn to cope with and process such feelings with the support of a safe, consistent, listening adult. It’s a must read for caregivers who struggle to respond to hard feelings in their children. I can’t wait to put this on the shelf in my therapy office and use it with children and caregivers alike! — Lauren Smith, Child Therapist
Lauren and Rebecca have created a special type of cozy magic in the book Fox and Bear. It captures your heart with whimsical, gorgeous illustrations and a playful, yet deep and meaningful story. It easily cultivates vital conversations with children in the classroom or at home to help them discover that it's okay to open up to your safe person. This a wonderful tool to help children learn to navigate the joys and hardships in life and what to do when you encounter those feelings. —Ashley Potts, elementary school teacher
- GenresPicture Books
Kindle Edition
Published June 1, 2020
14 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
June 6, 2020
Perfect for kids and adults
This simple story helps both kids and adults understand how to unpack life's big and little experiences. It is beautifully illustrated and the perfect gift for anyone you care about.
This simple story helps both kids and adults understand how to unpack life's big and little experiences. It is beautifully illustrated and the perfect gift for anyone you care about.
November 4, 2020
Fox and Bear is similar to Max’s Box by Brian Wray & Shiloh Penfield (Schiffer Kids; 2019; 978-0-7643-5804-3) Instead of a backpack, Max receives a box that holds all of his treasures and feelings. Bad feelings Max stuffs into the box, which grows to accommodate everything until it is too big to carry. Max needs to figure out how to reduce the box (and his burdens). Max’s Box and Fox and Bear are similar stories, but Fox and Bear seems better suited for younger, picture book reading children.
The concept is simple. Most every child is familiar with a backpack and probably owns one. They know stuff goes in a backpack, but not feelings. (That may still be too abstract a concept for the child, but he/she will accept the idea with a little explanation.) Children will understand Fox wanting to get away from the bad memories. They will also understand how a bad memory/feeling left unattended can just make you worry more and take up more of your thoughts. Like Fox, who feels less burdened and bothered by the bad memories after sharing them with Bear, so can children. Fox and Bear can help a reluctant child feel better about telling someone what they worry about, and maybe even why.
Fox and Bear is also a great story to introduce to toddlers who are angry or grumpy a lot of the time. The story might help the toddler express what bothers him/her or what he/she might be ruminating. Overwhelming thoughts can also be mitigated by a child telling a trusted one about them. It’s a bit off-course for the actual subject of Fox and Bear, but the story can help start a discussion with most every child, even older kids who think they have outgrown picture books (you are never too old for picture books). The story is non-threatening and both Fox and Bear can be anyone the child chooses. Not once in the story is there a “he” or “she” that defines the gender of Fox or Bear. Fox can be a boy or girl and Bear can be anyone the child trusts (usually mom or dad, but anyone).
Bear never questions Fox or tries to force Fox to talk. Instead, Bear waits patiently for Fox to come to Bear, ready to talk. The power is with Fox (child), as to what to share and when. The memories (feelings), belong to Fox (child), and no one else has the right to them unless Fox (child), gives someone permission. Bear does not get upset, as Fox believes will happen (the bad memory upset Fox so it makes sense that Fox would think the memory will upset Bear).
Bear’s patience; Bear’s even, relaxed tone; and when “Bear scooped Fox up and cuddled Fox close” all help Fox regain the safe feeling Fox lost. This, in turn, helps Fox feel secure enough to talk to Bear about the bad memories. Bear, by listening to Fox, when Fox is ready, helps Fox’s world return to the happy and safe “normal” it had been until Racoon upset Fox (again, with no mention of what Raccoon did, children can make the bad memory what they need it to be).
The illustrations are adorable and relatable. The artist, Lauren Reese, makes great use of white space to help convey movement and closeness. She convincingly expresses Fox and Bear’s relationship and ease with the each other in the first two spreads. This is the rock the story is built upon.
The soft images of Fox and Raccoon are sweet silhouettes and appear much like young children. Expressions relate Fox’s near giddiness upon meeting Raccoon, and if you look closely, you’ll see Raccoon with a similar golden happy memory. When afraid, Fox slumps while carrying the backpack full of bad memories. On the next page, Fox’s fear even makes Fox look heavier in the close-up. Back in Bear’s sturdy arms, Fox looks fearful but no longer looks heavy. Fox shares with Bear Fox’s burdens begin to settle.
I know this is obvious, but I so love the characters being mixed species. The story would have worked if Fox was with Mother-Fox, rather than Bear, and the new friend another fox, not a raccoon. Mixing the species, as if doing so is the most natural thing to do in the forest, can remind children (and adults) about diversity in the human race and mixing us up is the most natural thing in the world.
The concept is simple. Most every child is familiar with a backpack and probably owns one. They know stuff goes in a backpack, but not feelings. (That may still be too abstract a concept for the child, but he/she will accept the idea with a little explanation.) Children will understand Fox wanting to get away from the bad memories. They will also understand how a bad memory/feeling left unattended can just make you worry more and take up more of your thoughts. Like Fox, who feels less burdened and bothered by the bad memories after sharing them with Bear, so can children. Fox and Bear can help a reluctant child feel better about telling someone what they worry about, and maybe even why.
Fox and Bear is also a great story to introduce to toddlers who are angry or grumpy a lot of the time. The story might help the toddler express what bothers him/her or what he/she might be ruminating. Overwhelming thoughts can also be mitigated by a child telling a trusted one about them. It’s a bit off-course for the actual subject of Fox and Bear, but the story can help start a discussion with most every child, even older kids who think they have outgrown picture books (you are never too old for picture books). The story is non-threatening and both Fox and Bear can be anyone the child chooses. Not once in the story is there a “he” or “she” that defines the gender of Fox or Bear. Fox can be a boy or girl and Bear can be anyone the child trusts (usually mom or dad, but anyone).
Bear never questions Fox or tries to force Fox to talk. Instead, Bear waits patiently for Fox to come to Bear, ready to talk. The power is with Fox (child), as to what to share and when. The memories (feelings), belong to Fox (child), and no one else has the right to them unless Fox (child), gives someone permission. Bear does not get upset, as Fox believes will happen (the bad memory upset Fox so it makes sense that Fox would think the memory will upset Bear).
Bear’s patience; Bear’s even, relaxed tone; and when “Bear scooped Fox up and cuddled Fox close” all help Fox regain the safe feeling Fox lost. This, in turn, helps Fox feel secure enough to talk to Bear about the bad memories. Bear, by listening to Fox, when Fox is ready, helps Fox’s world return to the happy and safe “normal” it had been until Racoon upset Fox (again, with no mention of what Raccoon did, children can make the bad memory what they need it to be).
The illustrations are adorable and relatable. The artist, Lauren Reese, makes great use of white space to help convey movement and closeness. She convincingly expresses Fox and Bear’s relationship and ease with the each other in the first two spreads. This is the rock the story is built upon.
The soft images of Fox and Raccoon are sweet silhouettes and appear much like young children. Expressions relate Fox’s near giddiness upon meeting Raccoon, and if you look closely, you’ll see Raccoon with a similar golden happy memory. When afraid, Fox slumps while carrying the backpack full of bad memories. On the next page, Fox’s fear even makes Fox look heavier in the close-up. Back in Bear’s sturdy arms, Fox looks fearful but no longer looks heavy. Fox shares with Bear Fox’s burdens begin to settle.
I know this is obvious, but I so love the characters being mixed species. The story would have worked if Fox was with Mother-Fox, rather than Bear, and the new friend another fox, not a raccoon. Mixing the species, as if doing so is the most natural thing to do in the forest, can remind children (and adults) about diversity in the human race and mixing us up is the most natural thing in the world.
July 15, 2020
Nice little book. Artwork is good.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews