Quite simply, this book is about a boy and a bear in a boat.
Not enough detail? The book begins when a boy gets into a boat (called Harriet) that is rowed by a bear. The boy doesn't expect the journey to take very long and has a nap. Unfortunately, some unexpected anomalies occur. The bear insists that all is fine and that they will get there in the end. The boy begins to be concerned that they are lost no matter how much the bear insists they're not. They encounter the dangerous Very Last Sandwich, a sea creature, an abandoned ship, a curious rock, some inclement weather, a bird that says "Kark!" and a storm (in no particular order). As I said, this is a book about a boy and a bear in a boat. There has never been a book with such a perfect title!
This book is fantastic! It had me laughing out loud in the staff room at work and getting overexcited as I shared various bits with my colleagues. And it took me completely by surprise! I think the reason for this was the cover. My first thoughts were that this book has a very dull cover and looks like a maths book and even though you should never judge a book by its cover I found that I had. In reality the cover is actually very clever as it is something from the story (I don't want to spoil it for you, not that it's a major spoiler but I had a big "oh I see!" moment when I got to that part and you should be able to have that too). Plus on at least three occasions during one lunch break I had left the book face down on the table with the dust jacket off and found that I had attempted to brush the crumbs off the back. It is very convincing. I am a bit concerned that the first impression given by this cover will put readers off and that this will not be easily overcome even though this is a book that should be read but I also don't want it to change because it is so brilliant. Also, you should believe every word of the blurb on the back because it is completely true!
The book is very easy to read and the story is well paced. Shelton uses a good variety of language and even includes the phrase "tickety boo!" Neither the boy nor the bear are ever called by a name and are just referred to as the boy or the bear throughout the book which works brilliantly. They don't need a name to be good characters and being called the boy or the bear sums them up perfectly. The author captures each one very well through his descriptions, illustrations and the characters' speech and makes them utterly believable. The illustrations are fun and the colour ones are simply stunning. The colours used reflect those of the sea and really help to add to the whole feel of the book. It's a great adventure tale that the reader gets sucked into and I found that by the end I was actually a little sad that the pages had stopped and so I couldn't continue with them.
I could easily imagine being given this as a present when I was younger and finally deciding to read it on a rainy day after several choruses of "I'm bored" have driven my parents mad and then having them looking for me an hour or so later concerned that I haven't pestered them since I picked it up. This book would certainly have sucked me in and even now I would have read it to the end in one sitting if I wasn't a grown up with work to do.
I honestly cannot recommend this book enough. Buy it, read it, laugh and be sad when you reach the end! It's fantastic!
I give it 10/10! :)
Title: A Boy and a Bear in a Boat
Author: Dave Shelton
Publisher: David Fickling Books
9-12 Fiction
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