A bear and a girl form an unlikely friendship as they show each other the important things in life. Once there was a bear who lived in a forest and did all the regular bear things. But as his home and the world around him change-fewer fish, fewer trees, and less quiet-he notices how tricky his life is becoming to maintain. The sensible thing to do is adapt, so the bear enlists the help of a little girl and asks her to teach him how to be human. The unlikely duo works together to master the art of being human, but when the bear heads to the city to try out his new skills, nothing goes as planned. Back in the forest, the girl considers that maybe humans should learn from bears instead. So the bear shares his own unique knowledge with the girl, and she ultimately discovers that the Earth is a place of giving, where all living things breathe together. Charming illustrations bring this story of cooperation and friendship to life, inviting readers to see the value of exchanging ideas and learning from others. AGES: 3 to 7 AUTHOR: Sophia Kolinas is an elementary school teacher and artist from Toronto, Ontario whose work can also be found in Chirp magazine. She loves storytelling, adventuring in the green, and planting flowers for the bees that visit her garden. When she's not teaching or creating, Sophia is working on her Freeze Dance moves. (She isn't fluent in Bear... yet.) How to Be Human: A Bear's Guide is her debut picture book. Aparna Varma is an illustrator for books and stationery with a bright sense of colour and humour. Born and brought up in India, she spent many of her formative years in Botswana, Africa. She also works as a creative producer in animation and currently dreams and draws in Toronto, Ontario. SELLING POINTS: . Touches on the effects of urbanization in a subtle way . Humorous illustrations and light text make for a fun read-aloud with a gentle lesson . Encourages conversations about environmental awareness and connections to nature
