Together

by Charles Fuge

Join a polar bear and a young cub as they explore the magical snowy world around them. Playing, learning, laughing, dreaming . . . every day is special when they spend it together.Snuggle up with this glorious celebration of love, caring and kindness - perfect for bedtime or cuddletime.Charles Fuge is the bestselling creator of the Little Wombat books and A Home Full of Friends.** With a sparkling silver cover! **

Genres: Picture Books, Childrens, Love, Family, Animals, Storytime, Juvenile

32 pages, Kindle Edition

First published December 1, 2020

About the author

Charles Fuge has been writing and illustrating since 1988. Published while he was in art school, his first picture book won the Mother Goose Award for best newcomer to children's books. He lives in England with his partner, Sarah, and their son, Ollie.

Reviews

[Lisa D · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved it! Perfect bedtime story!

[Jessie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sweet story of a kid and caregiver, told by the caregiver to the kid, showing all kinds of activities and emphasizing togetherness. I don't love the promise to never leave the kid.

[Moonkiszt · Rating 4 out of 5]

Featured as a grandma reads session.

A sweet treat, quickly read, but thoroughly enjoyed by the group. Full of affirmations and promises of loyalty and forever presence by a larger bear - Polar-ish? - and a smaller bear of the same tribe. They swing around their artic-like world enjoying each other's company. It is never clear whether these two are parent child, sibs, or unrelated buddies. That frees up all readers to impose their own first impressions on the pages as they turn, quite liberating in its own way.

The artwork is lovely, and feels absolutely natural with the words on the page. My group loved this book!

[Madison Schumacher · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is about a pair of polar bears (who seem to be a parent and a child) that explore and experience life together. The book goes through different experiences like lying on the beach, fishing, and having a snowball fight, showing the pair having fun together in any circumstance. I especially liked how towards the end of the book, the big bear gives the little bear reassurance when it is worried and asks whether the big bear will leave them. This book can be used in a classroom to emphasize that nobody is alone no matter how you feel. Everyone always has a friend, no matter how alone or worried you feel.

[Ashley · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great book to read at home or at babytime/toddlertime. The words are sparse and they rhyme (there is one awkward line that stops at "whether," but if you practice it first you'll be alright). Loved that this could resonate with a family that has more than one parent, but it is really great for a one-on-one session to build or recognize the bond between one parent and one child. I think this would be a great one to read at a single parent's group or to keep in stock at a safe house. Just lovely.

[Triston Dutschke · Rating 4 out of 5]

Together is a great story about love and friendship. It follows two polar bears who experience the world together. It touches on topics of feeling alone. However, it says you're never alone since we're together. Students could relate to this with feelings of family or even their friendships. I would love to cover this book in my classroom as the visuals are great and the theme of the story is lighthearted.

[Kimberly · Rating 4 out of 5]

A sweet book about never being alone. In hard times and fun, there'll be someone to rise and fall with. Will I leave you? No.
It was a lovely book and story! If I ever found it somewhere, I'd buy it.

(That said, what about if a parent has to leave, for death or just for a while? Promising to never leave... Is that something we can do? Even if we want to? Just something my melancholic mind tripped on. I need to think about it more.)

[Tania Roberts · Rating 5 out of 5]

Look no further for a perfect snuggle, up bedtime read! Not sure if I love the the adorable illustrations or lyrical text better - it's a perfect combination to be shared as you cuddle close with your loved ones.

[Sheri · Rating 3 out of 5]

A poetic story in verse about polar bears and the cold and the love of family while playing in the cold frozen north. Their imagination about places that are not cold, and the planets, and other places is overshadowed by having fun together in their polar place.

[Anthony · Rating 3 out of 5]

A look at how two polar bears spends their day, enjoying each other's company, and when the day ends, reassurances are provided by the big bear to the little bear, that their time spent together is special and forever.

[Terresa Wellborn · Rating 2 out of 5]

Saccharine sweet picture book wherein the illustrations are not my cuppa. The rhyming text pushes the story over the top, and not in a good way. YMMV, so maybe this one will work for you.

Themes: polar bears, winter, family, home, stories that rhyme
Ages: toddler-K
Pub year: 2020

[Jennifer Kelley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lovely illustrations and lyrical text will make this a hit at storytime.

[Jo Oehrlein · Rating 3 out of 5]

Celebrates the special relationship of a single caregiver and a child.
Does promise that the caregiver will never leave the child.

[Pinky · Rating 4 out of 5]

Two polar bears that will spend their together forever.

[Norkett · Rating 4 out of 5]

Beyond cute, especially those ears. We enjoyed the message along with the musical text.

[Rebekah · Rating 3 out of 5]

A good book for a parent/guardian to read to their child.

[Miss Melissa · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is a fine book, but I feel like the ears on the polar bears are just a bit too large.

[Adam · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great illustrations and a simple cute message.

[Ame · Rating 4 out of 5]

Super DUPER mushy.

[Holly Mueller · Rating 3 out of 5]

Such sweet illustrations!

[Lara Bate · Rating 4 out of 5]

A book about being together.

[Sarah McClure Starr · Rating 5 out of 5]

This would be a sweet Valentine from a parent to a child or a great baby shower gift. “Every day is special when it’s spent together.”

[Kelly]

I'm not personally a big fan of the cartoony style of the polar bears, but it's a sweet story to read to your little one about how much you love them.

[Kara · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Together!" you say, as we cuddle up tight.
"For ever," I whisper, and kiss you goodnight.

[Meredith · Rating 2 out of 5]

A mother polar bear spends the entire day with her cub, reassuring himself that they will always be together.

This book depicts a loving caregiver-child relationship.

Readers who enjoyed this book, may like Emma Dodd's Love You Books series, which also depicts the unconditional love between caregiver and child.