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Book Review: The Grumble Bear

Rating:

☆☆☆☆☆ 5/5

Title: The Grumble Bear

Author: Maci Welch

Publication Date: March 28, 2023

Genre: Children's Literature

Cover:

The cover features an adorable bear peaking around the corner of a door frame. I was drawn to the simplicity of the illustration, and the title pulled me right in.

Premise

Octavia’s favorite food is mac and cheese, but when her mom makes beef stew, Octavia refuses to eat it! She would rather go to bed hungry than eat beef stew, which is precisely what she does. But strange things happen when a bear visits her room, looking for something to eat. Octavia soon discovers that grumble bears are hard to please!

Why I chose this book:

The Grumble Bear was recommended by Lauren, the manager of Wind City Books in Casper, Wyoming!

First Impression:

As soon as I saw the cover, I knew I wanted to add this book to my collection of children’s books. The bear peaking around the corner was just too cute, and I loved the illustrations, which reminded me of simple crayon drawings that children may enjoy.

What I loved:

I love when an author chooses a topic a child can relate to, and picky eating is one of them! I remember refusing to eat certain foods as a child (lima beans!), and I’m betting a few of you might recall the foods on your “I’m not eating that!” list. Welch approaches the topic with a sense of humor and opens the door for parents and caregivers to talk about what foods a child does and doesn’t like and even what foods they might want to try.

I also enjoyed the illustrations in The Grumble Bear, especially the facial expressions of Octavia and the bear. Welch covers a range of emotions, including happy, disgusted, angry, scared, curious, surprised, and perplexed. This creates a natural opportunity to discuss what events create these feelings in ourselves. Modeling our emotions as adults and talking about them helps teach children how to identify and manage their own emotions.

Additional Thoughts:

I didn’t realize how close to home this book would hit when I purchased it! As a pediatric speech-language pathologist, I treat feeding and swallowing disorders. When a child is being weaned from tube feedings offered at regular intervals, that child needs to understand what hunger is and how it feels compared to having a full stomach. As I read The Grumble Bear, I couldn’t help but think about the application to feeding therapy. Octavia had to learn that the growling of her belly was not a bear but a sign she was hungry! What better way to illustrate this to patients with feeding concerns, assuming they are old enough to understand, than through a fun children’s book?

Quotable Quotes:

• You see, on the night of the beef stew, something strange occurred. On the night of the beef stew, Octavia had a visitor.
• The bear simply shrugged his shoulders and crossed his arms tighter. “If you can’t make me something good to eat, then I’m not going to eat at all,” he protested.
• “I’m so sorry, mom. I should’ve eaten your dinner. You worked hard on it and…” her eyes teared up, “I won’t do that again—I promise.”
Octavia’s mom reached out and hugged her tight.
“It’s okay—I forgive you. Now, lets get you some supper so that the ‘Grumble Bear’ stays in his cave.”

Who might enjoy this book:

The Grumble Bear is ideal for children ages 3-8 years old who enjoy animal-themed books.

Overall Impression:

Five stars. The Grumble Bear is a cute story that addresses the complexity of mealtime when a dish is served that a child doesn’t want to eat. Welch shares a humorous and imaginative tale as Octavia meets her grumble bear and realizes that pleasing a grumble bear is not as easy as she thought! Welch’s use of illustrations displays a wide range of emotions that a child may feel when confronted with new food, and this creates a space for thoughtful conversation about food preferences.

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