"The cleverness and humor of the words is matched by art that is painterly, adorably sweet, and laugh-out-loud funny . inspired by Helen Oxenbury's ABC of Things (1971). It is a fitting tribute. A perfect a-bear-cedary." -- Kirkus , starred review "The bear is adorably goofy, the palette soft and colorful, and the movements of the bear and the girl across the pages pull readers contentedly through the book. The underlying story of friendship and empathy is charming and the vocabulary accessible and informative . This is a must-buy for any parent, elementary, or juvenile collection, and teachers will find this a great model text for writing." -- School Library Journal , starred review "Each letter describes elements of the duo's journey, the dynamic illustrations proving of particular note as the bear awakens .

Humorous facial expressions occur every step of the way, and the bear's good-natured mayhem should draw smiles."-- Publishers Weekly , starred review "A girl and a bear star in Harrison's tale that doubles as an alphabet book, letting even pre-readers follow the alphabetical story through the buoyant, expressive illustrations . The final page has no words, just a proud look on the girl's face: mission accomplished." -- New York Times Book Review "Inside are some delicious words for readers to try out . Harrison's richly colored gouche illustrations are expressive . A sunny seasonal story to brighten a cold winter's day." -- Horn Book.