A Bear, a Man, and a Donut Van

An Amazon Best Book of the Month

★ “Parallel lives converge in the funniest possible way in A Bear, a Man, and a Donut Van… Kids will be wriggling in their seats at this point, anticipating the chaos to come in this charming, action-packed adventure—especially if they’ve enjoyed educator and author Daniel Bernstrom’s previous bear-centric books, the boisterous A Bear, a Bee, and a Honey Tree and A Bear, a Fish, and a Fishy Wish… Illustrator and animator Brandon James Scott’s impressively expressive art perfectly captures the wild shock of man and bear when their eyes finally meet: Donuts fly, crumbs spray and the two confection connoisseurs shriek in mutual terror as the speeding van careens down a winding mountain road . . . and heads right for a googly-eyed-moose traffic jam! Now what? A Bear, a Man, and a Donut Van moves at perfectly paced breakneck speed, barreling toward a wild and very sweet conclusion. Bernstrom’s spare text expertly employs bouncy repetition and engaging rhyme that makes for a supremely upbeat reading experience, and kids will pore over Scott’s superb art in search of other donut-loving woodland creatures (unsurprisingly, there are many). It’s a joy-inducing, humorous tale that’s sure to be a favorite reread at bedtime, storytime or any time donuts are served.”–BookPage, starred review

★ “What happens when a bear hijacks a van filled with pastries? The tale’s minimal text, made up of single words and extremely short phrases, nevertheless reveals an exciting, humorous storyline —a rare feat… No matter how dire the situation appears, Bernstrom and Scott keep the tale light and hilarious right to the end. Cleverly rendered rhymes and repetition encourage pre-readers to memorize the words and beginning readers to shine, while the art will tickle their funny bones. Short and utterly sweet.”—Kirkus Reviews, starred review

“Bernstrom’s newest work is a delightful explosion of color… The text has a compelling, lyrical cadence and is easy to read. The detailed and bright illustrations feature a hot pink donut truck and the beloved bear. Each illustration holds a well-placed point of view, showcasing action like a comic book. Every close-up helps build the tension in the plot. The story, like a donut, is short-lived and sweet.”—School Library Journal

“Our favorite bear is back! With donuts! Read on for heart warming and frosting covered chaos – a must read!”—Blue Willow Bookshop, Houston, TX

“This bear gets me every time, man. Leave it to these books to keep me laughing.”—Weller Book Works, Salt Lake City Utah

“The rhyming, repetition of phrases and delightful illustrations make this a fun read-aloud book.”—Mollie Mitchell, HearthFire Bookstore, Evergreen, CO

“This book is a delightful reading experience for readers and listeners of all ages. It is a perfect ‘cuddle-up before bedtime’ book because the rhythmic sentences lull the listener to sleep. The story is easy to understand and follow without concentration and the art is engaging and colorful.”—Nina Radakovich, Atlanta-Fulton Public Library, Atlanta, GA