Picture Books - pre school up

NZ Writer & Illustrator

Diana Noonan, illustrated by Robyn Belton

The Teddy Bear’s Promise

Craig Potton Publishing, 2013  $19.99pb  32pp

ISBN 978 1 8775 1779 2

Themes:         Continuity/ Family life/ Growing up/ Patience/ Teddy Bears/ Tradition

Like so many Teddy Bears the one in this story was loved dearly by his owner, a little boy called Max and they did everything together. ‘I will always love you,’ promised the Teddy Bear but Max grew up and the bear found himself in a dusty box stashed away somewhere in grandma’s house. This is basically a story of love within a family and how it endures through the generations.  The illustrations are as one would expect from Robyn Belton – poignant and endearing and Diana Noonan’s text gives many chances for families to talk through the ideas it presents. I did feel a little sorry for the bear though who just had to wait his turn to be loved again.
Preschool up/ Age 4 up

This book was a casualty of my recent move as I had it set aside to review when it was published, I think sometime in November. I have just unearthed it from the bottom of a box with an ormolu clock that was too heavy for me to lift – it took two quite strong people to move it for me and when I found the book I felt it was too charming a presentation not to include even if it has been out for a little while.