Description

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In a society of lemmings, can a bear ever belong?

It takes an awful lot of rules to be so fancy, but this group of lemmings is determined to be grand and elegant in everything they do. That means no rolling around, no climbing, and certainly no splashing in the mud!

But Bertie has grown tired of the other lemmings and decides to venture outside his burrow, where he meets—a bear! The bear knows nothing about rules, but a lot about having fun. Bertie and the bear have a great time together...until the other lemmings discover Bertie's new friend. They decide, at once, that everything about the bear is going to have to change if he's ever going to fit in with the group.

Can Bertie's friend learn how to be fancy like the lemmings, or is the bear simply too big and clumsy?

This story of challenging peers, questioning the rules, and staying true to yourself is a great read for discussions on independence and group behaviors. Newly confident readers will enjoy discovering the humorous moments in the book's many speech bubbles, which are excellent for practicing detailed reading and visual literacy.

About the Author

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Julie Colombet began drawing and painting at an early age. She studied at Chaumont, France, where she discovered children's illustrations—a universe and language that fascinated her. She has a great affection for creating characters and is the author of a number of French children's books

Praise For…

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"Colombet's story of friendship and embracing differences shines most in its endearing pencil illustrations, digitally colored in rustic tones. Speech bubbles scatter across scenes crowded with lemmings, resulting in an adorable and hilarious peanut gallery guaranteed to elicit giggles from little readers." —Booklist

"Colombet packs her story with vivid personalities (the earnest, wide-eyed lemmings are a collective hoot), visual jokes, and, as befits a large, opinionated community, many, many dialogue balloons. There is much to linger over and return to in these pages." —Publishers Weekly

★ "Even the most rule-bound reader will be cheered up by these stodgy lemmings." —Kirkus Reviews, Starred Review

"This debut picture book requires multiple reads to absorb all of the humor in the various lemmings' conversations and activities like dressing and packing. A quirky addition." —School Library Journal