Hello, friends! Today’s book is Bear Likes Jam by Ciara Gavin, an adorable tale about the importance of a balanced diet.

Gavin’s lovely blended family of ducks and their beloved bear returns, with a new challenge to overcome. When Bear tries jam for the first time, he is hooked. Sometimes, he gets so excited that he forgets to share. Sometimes, he eats more than his fill, or even eats jam when he’s not supposed to, like after bedtime. Mother Duck is beginning to worry: growing bears should have healthy, balanced diets. She puts her webbed foot down: no more jam until Bear eats his vegetables. But Bear doesn’t like vegetables! He refuses to eat them, and goes to bed hungry. Can his adoptive family find a way to get Bear excited about healthy eating?

This is the third book in Gavin’s Bear series, and we enjoyed it just as much as the last two. As always, the pen-and-watercolor illustrations are just adorable, and create wonderfully lively characters. The story here was great too: encouraging a balanced diet is always a good lesson for little ones, but I especially liked that it acknowledged that veggies just aren’t always delicious. The family encouraging healthy eating by making a game out of it felt more honest and, frankly, like a fun idea. The length is perfect for young readers, and JJ enjoyed it very much. A great addition to the series, and Baby Bookworm approved!