Review: Mother Bruce by Ryan T. Higgins

Another funny kids book.  I picked up this one because a third Bruce book is coming out in September (Bruce's Big Move, due out Sept 26, 2017, according to Goodreads) and was being discussed in one of the Upcoming Releases webinars I was listening to.  Almost right after listening to that one, I spotted Mother Bruce on the shelf and had to give it a try. 

 

Mother Bruce by Ryan T. Higgins

 

 

 

My Rating: 5 of 5

 

Plot Summary:

 

Bruce the bear is a grump, through and through.  Doesn't like anything, anyone.  But he does like eggs.  However, when stealing from Mrs. Goose for eggs for his latest recipe, something unexpected happens: the eggs hatch.  Bruce is now parent to four goslings, so what's a bear to do?

 

Thoughts:

 

This one isn't a deep picture book, but I wanted to write it up anyway.  What makes this book great are the illustrations and the sense of humor.  A little silly, a little sarcastic, laugh-out-loud funny for kids and adults.  That balance is always a hard one to achieve, but this one manages beautifully.  While the text is funny (Bruce loves eating gourmet recipes found on Pinterest, for example), it's really the illustrations that steal the show (he goes shopping for his recipes in the forest using a shopping cart).  His attempts to raise the goslings, despite not liking anyone or anything, are priceless (even when they are stubborn teenage geese).  And the goslings always have that spacy look on their face, four little feathered heads concentrating on four different fluffy thoughts.  Made me giggle every time.

 

 

 

For story times and lessons, I've seen online how teachers and librarians have used this book to introduce terms such as hibernation, migration, and imprinting, and to talk about adoption and unusual families.  My story times are usually for the 3-5ish age group (preschoolers and young kindergarteners), and this would be a good story time for my older kids.  The story's probably a bit too involved for little-little guys (our toddler time, or my younger preschoolers), and the idea of dinner hatching might be a little stressing.  My older kids would get a kick out of Bruce though!

As I mentioned, Bruce #3 is coming out in the fall.  For those interested, Bruce #2 (Hotel Bruce) came out last fall (2016). 

Overall:

 

This is one of those books that kids will like and parents will enjoy reading to them.  I think it'll be a good older kid story time book too.  While the plot isn't deep or complex, it is fun, and the illustrations are just too cute.  And don't we all know someone like Bruce?  I laughed out loud several times while reading this (slightly awkward when reading quietly at one's desk at work) but you just can't help it.  Bruce and his goslings are a hoot!  I'm definitely looking forward to Book 3 coming out in the fall!