A Bad Mad Sad Day for Mama Bear by Mayra Calvani Illustrated by K.C. Snider

A Bad Mad Sad Day for Mama Bear, by Mayra Calvani and illustrated by K.C. Snider, is a sweet book about a problem day for mother and child. Mama Bear has one bad thing after another happen in her busy day. We can all relate to that. We’ve had days when we drop things, when the car won’t start, when we spill things, when things tip over, and we miss something important. Then we pick ourselves up and carry on in spite of these mishaps. Mama Bear does the same. However, in her coping and dealing with one bad thing after another, she forgets one very important little person – Baby Bear. He’s right there trying to offer support and comfort in unseen ways. Will Mama Bear slow down long enough to notice how he’s trying to help?

 

The story is fanciful and full of fun language.  There’s repetition, alliteration, onomatopoeia, and even slapstick.  Here are some examples:

Everything was going from bad to worse for Mama Bear today. At breakfast she burned the sizzling sardines, and a spatter of grease stung her paw ... OUCH!

Then while scrubbing the dishes, she dropped a cup and ... CRASH! It smashed to smithereens on the floor. “Oh no, my favorite tea cup!”

Some situations are downright silly, but will make reading aloud that much more enjoyable for reader and listener.

A very special part of this story is K.C. Snider's artwork. She has done an amazing job of telling this story in pictures. The action is vivid, the colors and characters vibrant and alive. The humor of the story, married with the artwork, leaps off the page. After seeing the illustrations, you can’t imagine the story any other way. With so much to read and see on every page, it is truly captivating - a delight for eye and ear.

A Bad Mad Sad Day for Mama Bear is about how an ordinary day can have small and large catastrophes and challenges.  We’ve all had very bad and even horrible days, but somehow we get through them.  In the midst of these little and big daily problems, we pick up the pieces and still find things to appreciate and be thankful for -- like the loving gestures of our sweet children, and the support of our partners and friends.

Available from www.guardianangelpublishing.com/mama-bear.htm

And other quality online book sellers.