Book picks similar to
Archie and the Bear by Zanni Louise


picture-books
picture-book
bears
friendship

Clark the Shark


Bruce Hale - 2013
    Clark zooms into school, crashes through the classroom, and is rowdy at recess. Clark loves life—but when his enthusiasm is too much for his friends, Clark's teacher, Mrs. Inkydink, helps him figure out a way to tone it down.Clark the Shark celebrates boisterous enthusiasm—and knowing when it's time for indoor voices!

Me and My Dragon


David Biedrzycki - 2011
    He argues his case to Mom and Dad with wit and charm, detailing the many benefits of dragon ownership: A dragon is the perfect bully deterrent! The perfect answer to snow-shoveling in the winter! The perfect trick-or-treating accessory! The perfect portable summer campfire! He swears he'll take really good care of it, too. He'll feed it, walk it, bathe it, take it to the doctor, and even teach it to fly.Clever and wry text paired with bright and comedic illustrations will make Me and My Dragon a storytime favorite for kids and adults alike.

The Only Child


Guojing - 2015
    USA Today  declared it “a compelling and melancholy debut from an important new talent" as well as "an expansive and ageless book full of wonder, sadness, and wild bursts of imagination.” And like Shaun Tan's The Arrival and Raymond Briggs's The Snowman, it is quickly becoming a modern classic.   A little girl—lost and alone—follows a mysterious stag deep into the woods, and, like Alice down the rabbit hole, she finds herself in a strange and wondrous world. But... home and family are very far away. How will she get back there?   In this magnificently illustrated—and wordless—masterpiece, debut artist Guojing brilliantly captures the rich and deeply-felt emotional life of a child, filled with loneliness and longing as well as love and joy.

The Book of Mistakes


Corinna Luyken - 2017
    That was a mistake.The weird frog-cat-cow thing? It made an excellent bush.And the inky smudges... they look as if they were always meant to be leaves floating gently across the sky.As one artist incorporates accidental splotches, spots, and misshapen things into her art, she transforms her piece in quirky and unexpected ways, taking readers on a journey through her process.

Pup and Bear


Kate Banks - 2017
     You are not my mother, said the wolf pup. I am not your mother, said the polar bear, but I can cuddle you and keep you safe.Here is a picture book that celebrates differences and promotes kindness, sure to resonate with the many fans of the beloved classic, Mama Do You Love Me? During the ice melt that follows an Arctic winter, a wolf cub finds himself spinning out to sea on a sheet of ice. He awakes lost and alone to an unfamiliar smell: a polar bear. And while the polar bear is not the wolf's mother, she takes him on her back to her den, where she feeds him, keeps him warm, and does everything a mother would do. Time passes, the cub grows into a wolf, and soon it's time for him to venture out into the wide world alone. Years later, the now grown wolf comes upon a tiny lost polar bear cub--and the cycle begins again. With poetic prose this beautiful picture book about the love and kindness of a stranger is sure to touch a deep chord, particularly with parents and children who have found each other in unexpected ways.

Otis & Sydney and the Best Birthday Ever


Laura Joffe Numeroff - 2010
    This year, Otis wants to do something special for Sydney’s birthday. So he decides to throw a surprise party and invite all their friends. He mails the invitations, decorates the house, and bakes a cake, but when things don’t go as planned, how will Otis make sure that Sydney has the best birthday ever? A sweet and tender tale by the New York Times #1 bestselling author of If You Give a Mouse a Cookie and the Jellybeans series, Otis & Sydney and the Best Birthday Ever introduces young readers to two lovable bears who understand that friendship is the only thing needed to make any day special."Andreasen's digitally colored pen-and-ink drawings nearly jump off the page, maximizing the similarities between the two unabashedly adorable bears and frequently arranging themselves in paneled vignettes whose balance further reinforces the harmony between the two—just right for this simple story of friendship for the very young." —Kirkus Reviews "Books don’t come much cozier or any less threatening than this." –Booklist

Open Very Carefully: A Book with Bite


Nick Bromley - 2013
    What would you do if you were settling down for a quiet bedtime story and you realized that a crocodile had fallen into your storybook and was — not to put too fine a point on it — wreaking havoc? Would you slam that book shut and cram it back onto the bookshelf? Or would you be brave enough to peek?

Red Cat, Blue Cat


Jenni Desmond - 2012
    And so, it turns out, do some cats. Kids will relate to how hard it is for each cat to try to be like the other. They'll also love the true-to-life way that, after the fur stops flying, an unexpected change occurs, making both cats happy to be just exactly who they are.

Love Is My Favourite Thing


Emma Chichester Clark - 2014
    She loves her family and all the things they do together. Sometimes, however, Plum’s exuberance causes trouble, and she just can’t help being naughty. But fortunately, love is such a great thing that even when she makes mistakes, Plum’s family still adores her.

The Rabbit Listened


Cori Doerrfeld - 2018
    All the animals are sure they have the answer. The chicken wants to talk it out, but Taylor doesn't feel like chatting. The bear thinks Taylor should get angry, but that's not quite right either. One by one, the animals try to tell Taylor how to process this loss, and one by one they fail. Then the rabbit arrives. All the rabbit does is listen, which is just what Taylor needs.Whether read in the wake of tragedy or as a primer for comforting others, this is a deeply moving and unforgettable story sure to soothe heartache of all sizes.

Shh! We Have a Plan


Chris Haughton - 2014
    Four friends, three big and one little, are out for a walk. Suddenly, they spot it—a beautiful bird perched high in a tree! They simply MUST have it and—SHH!—they have a PLAN. So they tip-toe, tip-toe very slowly, nets poised—"Ready one ... ready two ... ready three ... GO!" But, at the turn of the page, we find a ridiculous bunch of very tangled characters and a blissfully oblivious bird, flying away.

You're All My Favorites


Sam McBratney - 2004
    But one day the three little bears start to wonder: How do Mommy and Daddy know this is true? And even more worrisome to each sibling: What if my parents like my brother or sister better than me? From the team who brought us the beloved Big and Little Nutbrown Hare comesa tale that answers a timeless question with the ultimate reassurance — and offers the perfect way for parents to remind their own little cubs how very much each one is loved.

Churchill's Tale of Tails


Anca Sandu - 2012
    Until one day it goes missing... So Churchill tries on a whole host of other tails - tails that make his personality even more colourful. But along the way, Churchill forgets what really matters most to him - his friends. Can Churchill learn to value his friendships and solve the mystery of his missing tail?

There's a Dragon in Your Book


Tom Fletcher - 2018
    . . And pretty soon she has set your book ON FIRE. OH NO!Tom Fletcher and Greg Abbott have created a fantastically interactive sequel to their bestselling There's a Monster in Your Book. Children will love stroking, poking and flapping the book to make magic happen as they turn the pages. Can they help Little Dragon find a way to stop the fire and fly off on her own adventure?

Little Penguins


Cynthia Rylant - 2016
      Snowflakes? Many snowflakes. Winter is coming. So begins this ever-so-simple story. As the snow starts to fall, the excited penguins pull out scarves, mittens, heavy socks, and boots, and Mama helps them bundle up. But when it’s time to go out, one timid penguin decides to stay home. Filled with waddling baby penguins, playful text, and delightful illustrations, this book feels like a young picture-book classic in the making.From the Hardcover edition.