Hello, everyone! Our book today is The Bear Who Stared by Duncan Beedie, a cute story about a socially awkward bear learning how to make friends.

Bear has a bit of a people-skills problem: he is curious and wants to make friends, but he is too shy to say anything, so he has a habit of staring. It annoys and bothers the animals around him, but he doesn’t know how to interact otherwise. Fortunately, a frog helps him find that a smile and a greeting can make all the difference when trying to make new friends, and Bear finds that when he has the courage to be friendly, he is met with friendliness in return.

This was a sweet book that helps with a very specific, though common, social issue that children sometimes have. Bear doesn’t mean to be awkward, he’s just shy, and this book can help children who experience similar shyness, as well as helping children to recognize shyness in others. It’s well-executed, with great illustrations and a good length for baby bookworms. We liked this one! Baby Bookworm approved!