Bear Heart

In Louise Greig's glorious Bear Heart (Flying Eye, 11 Sept), we meet Earnest, a bear with a heart so full that when he encounters a lonely lion "the colour of buttercups" he finds he can only make space for him by discarding the other things he? ?cherishes. Befittingly for a book about how love can make us braver and stronger, Hoang Giang's illustrations glow magnificently?: ?her sunset-coloured depiction of Earnest surrounded by his favourite things, from blueberries to the perfect tree, is one of the most gorgeous picture book spreads I've seen all year. -- Imogen Carter * The Observer *
Louise is a beautiful writer, truly one of the greats - and this story filled my heart with love and joy and light. -- Matt Goodfellow * Author of The Final Year *
A gorgeous bear hug of a book that celebrates our enormous capacity to be brave and to love. -- Rebecca O'Connor * Director, Caterpillar Poetry Prize *
Greig takes readers on a journey with Earnest as he explores concepts of love and friendship. Until Earnest met the lion, he had always had room in his heart for something more. He does his best to find someone else to love the lion, but when nobody can help, Earnest makes a brave decision. How can Earnest make room in his heart and what happens when he eventually discovers someone who has a heart that has room for the lion? Giang's beautiful illustrations will enchant readers young and old as they expertly complement Greig's gentle tale. Her use of colour is exquisite, reflecting the changing emotions of Earnest as he moves through this beautifully told story. In Bear Heart Greig introduces big concepts of love, friendship and loss with great care and gentleness, allowing young readers an outlet to explore emotions that are very real to them. -- Eibhlín Cassidy * Children's Books Ireland *
My favourite small critic also liked Louise Greig's Bear Heart - a poetic tale about the heart's endless capacity for love, beautifully illustrated by Hoang Giang. -- "Our toddler critic's favourite picture books, as approved by Madeleine Keane" -- Madeleine Keane * Irish Independent *