Little Bear’s Treasures

Little Bear is an enthusiastic and joyful treasure finder. He gathers items from his forest home like “a shiny button…a shy piece of fluff” and “a magic stick” that make him happy. Little Bear's surroundings are rendered in a wash of ethereal sepia pastels punctuated by spots of colour in Little Bear’s rosy cheeks and his yellow feather belt. Every treasure holds a spark of possibility and delight for Little Bear, but, when he shares his treasures with the other animals, they turn away and dismiss his collection as junk. Dreis depicts a frowning squirrel, a distracted rabbit trailing a pocket watch (a nod to Lewis Carroll’s white rabbit), and a goose too busy with a feather duster to pay Little Bear and his treasures any attention. Little Bear’s loneliness and feelings of rejection are palpable until he meets a kindred spirit in Little Bird, a fellow treasure finder who sees the magic and wonder in everyday objects. Little Bear and Little Bird set sail in “a tree-bark boat”, play in a delightfully “swingy tree” and peer through “a mysterious fog”. Readers understand that their bond is cemented by imagination and a willingness to explore the unknown together. Dreis makes clear that meaning is made through shared experiences and celebrating natural beauty with someone you care for. In a sweeping two-page spread, the friends marvel at the star strewn sky before falling asleep under a cover of snow, or perhaps, “stardust”. The book ends on a dream, suggesting that memory and stories bring us closer together.

Little Bear’s Treasures is a nuanced and whimsical tale that is meant to be treasured and shared in equal measure.