The Bear Out There
by Jess Hannigan; illus. by the author
Primary    Quill Tree/HarperCollins    48 pp.
4/25    9780063289482    $19.99

Hannigan’s (Spider in the Well, rev. 3/24) alternative take on “Goldilocks and the Three Bears” presents the outlandish actions and delusional interpretations of a child narrator as they attempt to justify their baseless fear of the “BEAR out there.” The loudmouthed, overly confident kid with messy red hair is safe inside a cozy little cottage; however, their first-person direct address to the reader is full of overblown reactions (“SAVE YOURSELF!”) and questionable assertions (“I’ve been told that I am very coolheaded”). When eventually confronted by an actual bear, the child escapes by crashing through a window, prompting the perturbed creature to reveal that “this is literally my house!” The fast-moving narrative is quirky and unpredictable, bouncing between topics and emotions with the speed of an active youngster. Vibrant and punchy, the candy-colored illustrations are a bold blend of painted imagery and paper collage, complete with visible brushstrokes and hints of shadow created by overlapping paper. Hand-lettered text with a vaguely retro feel, often used for emphasis or for sounds (“RATTLE, RATTLE. CREEEAK”), is fully integrated into the illustrations. Frequent shifts between page layouts (for example, from text-only on a painted black page to a double-page spread of a humorously foreshortened hand meant to silence the reader’s reaction) make the book visually interesting and playful. A funny, well-crafted, and self-aware commentary on traditional fairy-tale tropes.

From the July/August 2025 issue of The Horn Book Magazine.