Irresistible...playfully existential.
-- O, The Oprah MagazineBear's search for himself doesn't matter so much as the charm of Lavie's storytelling voice as he narrates it...Erlbruch gives the bear big, puzzled-looking eyes and a lovable grin. He lives in a forest made of ornate trees seemingly lifted from vintage engravings, whose delicate lines play off Bear's dumpy figure. Bear's encounters with various characters--the Turtle Taxi, the Penultimate Penguin--feature gentle wordplay and Lewis Carroll-like paradoxes...Everything is new to Bear, and his discoveries will delight readers.
--Publishers Weekly, Starred ReviewErlbruch's playful, distinctive illustrations...are sublime.
--Kirkus ReviewsThe volume is filled with surreal gags about prepositions and adverbs, cheerful absurdity, and down the rabbit hole-style musings.
--School Library JournalThe book is filled with the bear's paradoxical, enigmatic, and sometimes Zen-like musings as he meets various creatures in the forest who assist him...This one would make for a thought-provoking read-aloud at story time. Get those children settled--it's a lengthy text--and present to them this gloriously left-of-center tale. Watch their heads spin. It'll be memorable.
--Kirkus Reviews, new children's books featureA lovable entertainment and quest venture that veers back and forth into existential territory without missing a beat of its adorable nature.
--Center for FictionYoung readers with a philosophical nature and an appreciation for provocative silliness will be especially gratified by Bear's self-discovery...Erlbruch's illustrations, which look like etchings, fit the story well. The Fabulous Forest effectively evokes a fairy tale feel, and Bear, a portly fellow with huge eyes, a bright red mouth, and colorful flecks in his black fur, is loveable at first sight.
--New York Journal of BooksImaginatively written by Oren Lavie and beautifully illustrated by Wolf Erlbruch, The Bear Who Wasn't There: And the Fabulous Forest is classic fable in the making and will prove to be an original and enduringly popular addition.
-- Midwest Book ReviewThis cheeky book...is a melding of Phantom Tollbooth logic, Alice in Wonderland whimsy, and peppered with a cast of unforgettable Little Prince like characters...You can't help fall into th