Oso

by Ben Queen, Joe Todd-Stanton

¿Qué sucede cuando Oso, un perro guía, pierde la vista?
Oso es un perro guía para ciegos, y haría cualquier cosa por su mejor amigo y dueño, Patrick. Pero cuando Oso pierde de repente la vista, teme haber perdido también su propósito en la vida. Determinado a proteger a Patrick a toda costa, Oso se embarca en una búsqueda para recuperar su visión.
En el camino, Oso aprenderá a usar sus otros sentidos y comenzará a ver el mundo desde una nueva perspectiva que a veces es más rica y colorida que el mundo que siempre ha conocido.
Ben Queen es el guionista de Cars 2 y Cars 3 (Disney/Pixar) y se ha inspirado en hechos de la vida real para contar una historia sobre el modo en que nuestra memoria influye en cómo recordamos lo que nos rodea. Joe Todd-Stanton es ilustrador de libros infantiles y ha publicado obras como Everest, Arthur y la cuerda dorada, El secreto de la roca negra y Marcy y el acertijo de la esfinge.

Genres: Graphic Novels, Middle Grade, Comics, Animals, Childrens, Adventure, Dogs

160 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2020

About the author

Ben Queen is an American writer and producer. He was the creator/showrunner for the NBC television show A to Z. He wrote the screenplay for the Pixar animated movie Cars 2, and co-wrote the story for Cars 3

Reviews

[Mischenko · Rating 5 out of 5]

Bear is a middle-grade graphic novel about a guide dog who eventually gets lost and needs to find his way back to his blind owner.

We loved the illustrations and beautiful story. It’s both heartwarming and educational. Dog lovers of all ages will love this story.

5*****

[Melki · Rating 4 out of 5]

What happens when a seeing-eye dog loses his sight?

For Bear, this leads to an amazing adventure. Aided, and sometimes hindered (Never trust a raccoon!) by some animal guides, he explores the world around him in a new way. The reader gets to join in the fun as Bear tries to reunite with his human. I don't think it's a spoiler to report that there's a great big AWWWW of an ending.

This is a beautifully illustrated graphic novel aimed at middle-grade readers, but sure to please animal lovers of all ages.

I'll definitely buy a copy of this for the library where I work - kids are gonna love it.


This title releases in August. Thanks to Net Galley and the publisher for granting me this sneak peek.

[Fran · Rating 4 out of 5]

"...the way we see the world depends not just on what we've seen, but what experiences we have had, and most importantly who we are".
-Ben Queen

Patrick and Bear were meant to be together. Patrick, twenty-nine years old, was totally blind having lost his sight in an accident. He repairs and services vending machines. Bear is a guide dog, a two year old Lab/Golden cross. After three weeks of intensive training, Bear is placed with Patrick...they immediately bond. Bear learns Patrick's daily routine, however, Bear is not a routine dog. "If he finds himself in a new situation, he can figure his way out...he improvises...he never gives up". One day, life changes...Bear barks and growls. Patrick calls the 24/7 emergency hot line at the school.

Bear can't see, he tells the raccoons living under the floorboards. The raccoons are opportunistic. "There's magic in the woods"...perhaps a trip there will restore your vision. A ruse...they abandon Bear in the woods...their hiding place in Patrick's house will not be compromised! While Patrick and Meg (from the school) search for Bear, he tries to find his way home. He happens upon a journey of discovery after falling into a bears den and being saved by Stone, the bear. Stone teaches Bear to use his sense of smell more proficiently. "Feel the breeze...distant scents can ride the wind". A chance meeting with a bat named Andromeda...bats can "see" with sound. Andromeda schools Bear. Bear says, "I have a job to get back to and it's not just any job. I am a guide dog. That's who I am. It's my purpose in life. And if I lose that..." How can Bear find his way home to Patrick?

"Bear" by Ben Queen is a wonderful children's book about visualizing the world a different way. "It's the brain that makes the images, not your eyes...". The continual presence of nemesis raccoons and growling bears might diminish the enjoyment of this graphic novel full of magical realism. The illustrations by Joe Todd-Stanton are beautifully rendered. This tome is appropriate for third graders and up.

Thank you BOOM! Studios/ Archaia and Net Galley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Chad · Rating 3 out of 5]

A picture book laid out like a comic. Bear is the story of a guide dog who one day loses his sight. He goes on a journey to try and deal with it. I liked the fanciful images Bear imagines in his mind's eye once he's blind. I did like how you learned some of how both blind people cope with their blindness and how guide dogs are trained.

Received a review copy from Archaia and NetGalley. All thoughts are my own and in no way influenced by the aforementioned.

[Amanda M (On The Middle Shelf) · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was first drawn to the illustrations in this middle grade graphic novel about a blind man and his guide dog who begins to lose his own eye sight. And while the illustrations did a phenomenal job of telling the story, I found the story itself disjointed and lack luster. I almost feel like this could have been a wordless picture book and accomplished the same thing. Unfortunately this one was a miss for me.

[Nomnivor · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wieso nehme ich Tabletten gegen Herzleiden, wenn ich dann solche Bücher lese?

Worum es geht:
Bear ist der Blindenhund seines besten Freunds, Patrick. Mit Patrick geht er überall hin: spazieren, Busfahren, zur Arbeit. Bear ist sich seiner Aufgabe sehr bewusst. Umso schlimmer, als er eines Tages plötzlich nichts mehr sieht. Wie soll er nun Patrick helfen? Als ihm ein Waschbär erzählt, dass es im Wald Tiere gibt, die auch nichts sehen, aber trotzdem alles erkennen, rennt Bear von zu Hause weg, um diese Technik zu lernen, damit er weiter für Patrick da sein kann.

Random Beobachtungen:
• Überraschenderweise ist dieses Buch weder zum Heulen, noch so süß, dass man Löcher in den Zähnen bekommt.

• Die Zeichnungen müssen mit Tusche und Magie gezeichnet worden sein.

• Ein Hund hat eine Hauptrolle.

• Ein Bär hat eine Hauptrolle.

• Patrick ist die einzig weiße Person im Buch.

• Weder Patrick noch Bär sind hilflos, nur anders.

• Geschwisterliebe f yeah

• Soviel Herz findet man nur selten ❤️

[biblio-sj · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bear was just as it had appeared to be: a heart-warming story of a charming dog named Bear and his relationship with his owner Patrick (AKA: his best friend. Also AKA: his purpose in life).

Bear's child-like nature and innate goodness were delightful to read. Simple thoughts were shared across a bright spread of illustrative artwork with bold colours and colour-coordinated speech making Bear's thoughts easily distinguishable. This allowed me to follow the story without any confusion and I was transfixed enough to finish the book all in one sitting.

Patrick's inclusion in the story not only aided the reader's understanding of Bear's purpose as a Guide Dog but their relationship was also really sweet to read about. It's not often you have someone so dependable and close in your life however, Patrick was lucky enough to experience this after adopting Bear. Their relationship was a unique blend of friendship, love and a strong sense of purpose.

When Bear suddenly loses his vision, all of this is set to disappear. The loving home he has finally found with Patrick and the loss of his one purpose in life. With an ensuing adventure full of midnight escapades and being lost in a large city, Bear faces it all in the hope of being able to restore his vision. While this book had a jaunty pace there was the impression that a few areas had been quickly glanced over in the hope of maintaining the pace and removing some of the cumbersome time elements from the story. Bear read as if it had been set all in one day and yet... it felt like too much had happened for this to be logistically possible. Additionally, there was the inclusion of a family-like HEA at the end that felt unnecessary and a bit out-of-the-blue. I would have preferred the story without this element.

Overall, Bear was a fun and entertaining story that I would recommend for people of all ages. This is a delight that can be enjoyed by all!

[Eri (army.reader.with.cats) · Rating 5 out of 5]

The story of a guide dog who gets lost in the woods and with the help of his new wild friends he must find his way back home and to his blind human.

This is definitely my favorite graphic novel so far. At first I thought it was a childrens book but it's not. It's for all ages. And it leaves beautiful messages about self-descovering and love. The way the author portrays the blind perspective of a character is amazing and it's really helpul for not-blind people to understand how they "see" the world.
I really liked the love the human Patrick and the dog Bear had for each other.
I loved the bats and the bear Stone. The raccoons were really funny as well as Stone' brothers.
The ending is one of the most beautiful ones and it made cry of happiness!
I will definitely buy a physical copy because I want to have this beautiful story in my hands.
I've never read anything like this so I really recommend it to everyone!
Ps: The illustrations are gorgeous!

Thanks Netgalley and the publisher for the e-ARC.

[Silvia F. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bear by Ben Queen was such a cute read. It was a lot more emotional than I was expecting considering it's a children's book. It sheds light on blindness and explains that even people who are blind create entire worlds with their minds. I can't even imagine what it would be like to lose your sight unexpectedly and then along with it lose your sense of self (like what happened to Bear). One of the things that I loved the most about this book is that when bear lost his eyesight he pictured the evrything as being so beautiful. It didn't matter that who or what he faced he always imagined it to be so pure and beautiful. This was very touching. I wish we could all picture and see te world the way bear did. A very cute read!

ARC received from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

[Jessica Haider · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bear is a graphic novel appropriate for middle grade through adult. The central character in this book is Bear, a guide dog. Bears parents and all his siblings worked as Police K-9 dogs, but bear wasn't selected. Instead, he was sent to learn to be a guide dog and was eventually given to a blind man named Patrick. And then one day, Bear loses his own site and wanders off on an adventure.

This was a semi-realistic/semi-fantastic story. we get to see things from a dog's point of view. Bear is a very lovable character. You can't help but root for him. I quite enjoyed this one and think my 10 year old would too.

I received a review copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

[Rod Brown · Rating 2 out of 5]

A weird and displeasing fantasy story about a guide dog named Bear trying to cope with the sudden onset of his own disability. While his owner searches for him, Bear wanders around and gets involved with various raccoons, bears and bats, ending up in New York City. The story required more dumb coincidences than I could tolerate.

[Panda Incognito · Rating 4 out of 5]

This beautifully illustrated, incredibly creative graphic novel explores a guide dog's journey after suddenly losing his sight. Many elements of this book are extremely unrealistic, so readers should go into it with the expectation that this is magical realism, not a representation of real life. However, it is very appealing for what it is, and I appreciate the bond between Bear, the guide dog, and Patrick, his blind owner. This book teaches a lot about the blind without ever being didactic or mawkish, and provides an affirming picture of how blind people can be productive and enjoy life regardless of their disability.

This book is beautifully illustrated, with lots of well-realized settings. The parts of the story involving the raccoons and black bears didn't appeal to me, since they raised the story stakes and tension at the expense of keeping the story believable, but I enjoyed the core journey, the emotional elements related to Bear's bond with Patrick, and the incredibly creative visual interpretation of how Bear pictured his surroundings and drew on his other senses during his journey. The author's note shares additional details about the role of mental pictures in the experiences of many blind people, and this is an incredibly inventive and interesting graphic novel because of this element.

Children are likely to enjoy and learn a lot from this, and it is appealing to adults as well, as long as they are prepared for how fantastical and unrealistic it is at times. This graphic novel is unlike anything that I have ever read before, and teaches about visual impairments and guide dogs through a unique and engaging story. I definitely would have enjoyed this when I was a kid, and I'm glad that I got to read it now.

I received an advance copy through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

[Steff Fox · Rating 4 out of 5]

| Reader Fox Blog |


I honestly am a bit torn with how I feel about Bear by Ben Queen and illustrated by Joe Todd-Stanton. On the one hand, I kind of loved it--the story was so unique and full of feels. But, on the other...I hated so many things. Surface level, this is the story of a seeing-eye guide dog that loses his sight. And this is more or less the story that I was expecting to get. But, due to the age group this book is geared toward, that's not quite the story that we got. It's ironic, really. As someone who typically can't stand to read stories that focus more on real-life, I was so annoyed that this one seemed more magical in nature.

Reality vs. Imagination

So, where I think I struggled the most with this graphic novel is the fact that I spent the majority of my time reading it wondering if this was possibly based on a true story. With that thought in mind, every time something that wasn't super realistic happened, I got a little annoyed with it. I absolutely hated both the bear and raccoon characters because their purposes in the story were nefarious in nature rather than...realistic. Like, it makes sense for a bear to want to eat a dog. It does not make sense for a bear to want revenge against a dog.

In any other story, I don't think this would have bothered me.

It bothered me here.

Spoilers ahead:

Alright, as far as the story goes, this isn't a bad graphic novel at all. It's actually pretty great and I genuinely do think kids are going to love it. We're first introduced to Bear and how he meets his owner, Patrick, who is blind. We get to know them and their relationship and we also learn how important Bear considers his job of guiding Patrick. Then the unthinkable happens; Bear loses his sight.

Suddenly faced with the possibility of no longer being able to do his job and be there for what Patrick needs, Bear no longer knows what to do with himself. His entire purpose in life has disappeared and that is a devastating loss. Up to this point, I was in love with the story. It's emotional, it's compelling, the artwork is beautiful, and you're so insanely invested in the characters you genuinely want to cry for Bear.

Then we meet the raccoons.

There's nothing inherently wrong with the direction Queen takes the story, but here is where I started to dislike it. At the encouragement of a raccoon he hears beneath the floorboards of his home, Bear decides to set out in search of a way to get his sight back. The raccoons for some reason push him to do this so they can sneak into the house and steal food (honestly, I thought this was so dumb). Then they leave Bear lost in the woods.

Then Bear meets a real bear who's brothers are evil and want to eat him, but the one bear feels happy that Bear didn't judge him for who he was initially--something he only does because he can't see, mind you--so the bear helps him escape. And the only thing I liked even a little bit about this bear side-plot was the fact that Stone, the bear, helps Bear in small ways to learn how to use his other senses to get around.

But this is all horrendously tainted by the fact that Stone's brothers are out to get Bear for literally the dumbest reason I could ever imagine (yay miscommunication!). Then Bear and Stone are lost for the rest of the story as they try to find Patrick. They finally arrive back home only for everything to get wrapped up in a pretty bow and THEN Bear goes to the vet and gets his sight back...

Uhm...what was the point of all that?

The story I was expecting, honestly, was one that detailed a guide dog getting lost in the woods, learning how to use his senses to get around. Then he would return to his owner with these new abilities that allow him to continue helping Patrick. Whether it be in the, admittedly, slightly unrealistic way of continuing to be his guide dog or simply by being a great companion. Maybe he makes some friends along the way and they help him learn these skills.

It would be an amazing story, right?

Instead, we get this strange mashup of nonsense that doesn't really lead anywhere. I'm not quite sure what lesson we learned because the ending kind of renders it all moot. I mean, after all Bear went through, for him to get his sight back just like that seems like the wrong message to send. The poignant message about still being able to live a good life and have a purpose even though you'd lost your sight is completely lost because he gets his sight back.

The journey and everything he went through is suddenly completely and utterly pointless. 

WHY?

I mean, I could get past a lot of the nonsensical stuff in this book. I think the kids will enjoy it and overall it is not a bad story. It's enjoyable. I loved Bear. I loved some of the other characters. But the overall message? The purpose behind this story? It falls so flat.

And that breaks my heart, honestly. There was so much potential here. Too much, even, for it to end the way it did.

I was provided a free copy of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

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[Zac · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a great story with stunning art! This large format graphic novel follows Bear the guide dog and his human Patrick. Bear is disappointed to not follow in the footsteps of his parents and siblings to become a K-9 police dog but he has an equally important job as a guide dog to Patrick who is completely blind. Bear becomes unwell one day and soon finds himself far from home and lost. While Bear tries to make his way home with help from new friends, Patrick looks everywhere for him.

This is a gorgeous graphic novel that kids and adults alike will love. If you’re a dog lover this is an absolute must-read. Ben’s story is heart-warming and perfect for a graphic novel format, and Joe’s illustrations are absolutely stunning. I’ve loved Joe’s picture books and his Brownstone’s Mythical Collection comics so it’s really great to see a longer book bursting with his illustrations. He perfectly captures the different ways that Bear and Patrick view the world.

Kids of all ages will enjoy Bear but especially those kids who love animals. I’ll be buying this one for my primary school library.

[Jessie (Zombie_likes_cake) · Rating 2 out of 5]

When I heard about this book, I did not think twice but immediately put a hold on it at my library. It is a picture book about the assistance dog of a blind man who suddenly loses sight himself. I have a blind dog of my own, it was a no brainer that I had to flip through this even if it is a kid's book and there are no young children around me. And yes, now I am going to rant about a children's book because this was utterly disappointing.

For long time this book was totally fine, when the dog called Bear is turning blind I was touched and reliving the time we went through that with my own dog. Yes, I wanted this book to be a little cathartic, and for a while it was. The reader learns that when you turn blind you can still recreate how your environment looks from smell, touch and memory which is done with some really beautiful illustrations that slowly fill out the more Bear learns about what is around him. There are some facts about blindness and the connection between owner and dog in this special relationship, some generally worthy statements about how we can all be more and do more than we would have thought if we look beyond the obvious, you know: nice stuff for kids to take away. But let's come to the part where the author takes all of that and spits it back in my face aka. the ending, which I am totally going to spoil now.

Because instead of letting the children who are supposed to read this know that it is okay to be blind, the dog gets an operation and is fine again. Yes, it was all not much more than a bad dream. For me personally with my little nugget who will not be able to get a surgery it was like a slap in the face. Of course I know that there are conditions that can be fixed and diseases that can be cured and I am not generally mad at someone for whom that is an option. But with what this book was setting out to do and portray it seems like the biggest backsie, and personal pain aside, what kind of message are you even sending to the kids reading this? I mean we had just learnt that it is okay for Bear to be blind and that maybe it isn't even that much of a handicap, he can still assist his beloved owner, and then we swing the magic story wand and happy end? Because staying blind could have not been a happy end?

So, I am personally mad at this but also don't recommend handing this over to children. And trust me, I snuggled my pooch big time.

Also, those racoons were hella annoying!

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a weird, but fun story of a guide dog who goes blind.

So, he does what all blind guide dogs do, right? He runs away from home, because he is told by the local raccoons that he can gain sight in the forest, which he does in a way. Everyone creature he meets along the way show him different ways of seeing, from being able to smell to tell him things, as a bear might, to sending vibrations with their voices, as a bat does.

It is a journey story, but a journey story with a purpose.

And it is kind of cool the way that Bear interprets what he smells and hears to show him the world around him.

It is both kind of realistic, and kind of fanciful.

Thanks to NetGalley for making this book available for an honest review.

[Elly · Rating 5 out of 5]

C’était bouleversant, tendre, mignon, et si émouvant ! L’histoire d’Ours, un chien guide d’aveugle qui devient aveugle à son tour. Tout se passait bien pourtant : il menait la belle vie avec son humain, Patrick. Mais quand ses yeux ne veulent plus voir, Ours n’a plus que son imagination. C’est une magnifique histoire sur le courage et l’immensité des sens. Une aventure périlleuse pendant laquelle Ours va rencontrer plein d’autres animaux et apprendre qu’il y a des tas de façon de voir !

[Camille · Rating 5 out of 5]

Magnifique !!!
L'histoire touchante, émouvante et sensible d'un chien guide d'aveugle qui devient lui même aveugle.
Superbe.
Les illustrations de Joe Todd-Stanton sont hallucinantes !

[Booknerd_dragon (TANIA) · Rating 5 out of 5]

• Bear (by Ben queen)

Knowing that it's a children fuction graphic novel I had 0 to no expectation from it, I was just amazed.

When I finished the novel I was so happy and satisfied and really full of positive vibes. The story starts with the dog's point of view named Bear and how he became a support dog being a descendant of police dogs.

Bear and his owner or best friend might I add Patrick have the best bond and pure bond you can see. My heart swelled for them. I can only say that I loved it so much I cant depict it enough through words.

Also side note but important one: Patrick is blind and theres a real good journey they will have together in the book

So I recommend this graphic novel to anyone who wanna dive in some inspiration or feel good or wanna feel good and happy without any proper knowledge of starting or end cause that's what will hit you hard

Also last but not the least kudos to the graphic artist. You did good.

• Character development- 4.5☆
• Story Plot- 5☆
• Side characters- 4.5☆
• Flow of the story- 5☆
• Overall - 5☆

[Beth Anne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well this was just a fantastic surprise! I requested Bear from the library when I put another book by the illustrator on hold. I didn’t realize this was a long graphic novel (160 pages) and started reading it aloud to my kids. Normally animal books are just fine but not super heartwarming for me, but this book was an exception. Not only is it a fantastically done graphic novel, the story it tells of the relationship between a blind man and his guide dog is spectacular. The book is told from the perspective of Bear, the guide dog, and his view of the world was hilarious and insightful. Really fantastic and well told story, so well done in this format as well.

[Morris · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this sweet and somewhat true story of a man and his service dog, Bear. The author gathered inspiration from many service dogs and their people and wove that in with a fantastical adventure for Bear. The illustrations are wonderful and there are many educational elements about disabilities and service dogs. Recommended for kids and adults.

This unbiased review is based on a complimentary copy provided by the publisher.

[Brittany · Rating 5 out of 5]

SO SO SOOOO CUTE!

[Lizzie & Koala Skywalker · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thought this was a very good graphic novel. I enjoyed reading about a guide dog. I also liked all of the different animal characters. ~ Lizzie😃🎮

[Jack Weakly · Rating 5 out of 5]

Este libro es muy tierno y me hizo llorar mientras lo leía. Me gustó mucho. Lo recomiendo para todos.

[Jaclyn Hillis · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was wonderful! The story and the art were so precious! It was about a blind man, Patrick, and his guide dog, Bear.

Bear would do anything for Patrick, but then he starts to doubt his worth. He follows the misguided advice from some self-serving raccoons, and ends up on a wild adventure. He makes many friends along the way, and learns some new skills too!

It was fun getting a glimpse inside the mind of a dog. I loved that Bear made friends with everyone because he couldn't judge them with his eyes.

[Diego · Rating 5 out of 5]

PreciOSO. MaravillOSO.

[Daniel Moquin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Jolie histoire qui nous montre la perception des personnes aveugles.

[Chicky Poo · Rating 5 out of 5]

Magnifique ! Le dessin est superbe et j'ai adoré l'histoire. En plus de tout ça, j'ai appris tout un tas de choses. Bref, coup de cœur !

[Iminie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Bien évidemment, j'ai pleuré.
J'ai adoré !

[Dustin (dragonarmybooks) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

An absolutely lovely graphic novel for kids about a guide dog named Bear and his adventurous journey back to his owner, Patrick.

The story is wonderful and truly unique to really any story I've read, kid or adult stories alike. Patrick is blind and has built a great bond with his guide dog, Bear. Well, one day, Bear begins to lose his vision and worries that, along with his sight, he has also lost his purpose in life. Due to his lack of vision, and with the help of some pesky raccoons, Bear embarks on a transformative journey through the woods, in the caves of bears, throughout the big city, and more, all to get back to his owner and friend.

The artwork was done SO well! Everything is consistent and cute and pretty to look at. Both children and adults would find the artwork to be stunning. But the illustrator takes it to another level when he begins to draw and color the unseen world that Bear begins to imagine through the use of smell and "bark-olocation." I LOVE the creativity here! For example, there are many locations that Bear imagines around him because he's been there before. These areas are often drawn like chalk art, but each piece is done with precision and detail that is beautiful in its own right. One more example of creative illustrations is that Bear (the dog) meets Stone (the bear). But when Stone introduces himself as a bear, Bear (the dog) imagines Stone as a bigger version of himself!

Bear is a wonderful graphic novel for anybody, but children ages 8-12 might particularly enjoy this charming graphic novel.