This was a wonderful book, however, it might not appeal to everyone, and I think kids might not enjoy this book fully. 

The book all starts when a boy steps in a boat with a bear as captain and asks to get taken to the other side. The whole book is about this journey, as everything that can go wrong, will go wrong. They get into storms, find a big sea monster, and many other things happen.

That might all be fun and all, but mostly between all that, there is conversation, there is chatting, there is the boy and a bear trying their best to be nice to each other. They have arguments and make up again.

The ending, well it is not much a spoiler, but there is no ending. It just continues on and on. And while I was a bit disappointed, I had kind of hoped the boy would reach his destination, I also liked the ending and felt like it fitted with the dream-like state that the book had.

All in all, the book was gorgeous, it was quite dreamy and at times a bit philosophical. Add to that wonderful and fun illustrations and it completes a magnificent story. 

Would I recommend it? Yes, but not to kids. They might like the illustrations, and the things that happen, but I think they will not like the ending, or the overload of conversations.

This was a wonderful book, however, it might not appeal to everyone, and I think kids might not enjoy this book fully.

The book all starts when a boy steps in a boat with a bear as captain and asks to get taken to the other side. The whole book is about this journey, as everything that can go wrong, will go wrong. They get into storms, find a big sea monster, and many other things happen.

That might all be fun and all, but mostly between all that, there is conversation, there is chatting, there is the boy and a bear trying their best to be nice to each other. They have arguments and make up again.

The ending, well it is not much a spoiler, but there is no ending. It just continues on and on. And while I was a bit disappointed, I had kind of hoped the boy would reach his destination, I also liked the ending and felt like it fitted with the dream-like state that the book had.

All in all, the book was gorgeous, it was quite dreamy and at times a bit philosophical. Add to that wonderful and fun illustrations and it completes a magnificent story.

Would I recommend it? Yes, but not to kids. They might like the illustrations, and the things that happen, but I think they will not like the ending, or the overload of conversations.

A Boy and a Bear in a Boat by Dave Shelton

Warm, sweet and simple story.

Existential adventure for middle grade readers. For those not yet ready for Life of Pi.