Mr. Pig LIVE . . . with Bear!

Hello! Welcome to my hit talk show, Mr. Pig LIVE! I'm about to sit down for an exclusive interview with a reclusive picture book superstar! 

You know him as the curmudgeonly best friend of Mouse. He likes things his way and owns seven books. Let's give a big round of applause for . . . .

BEAR!

<<clap, clap, clap>>

Have a seat, Bear! I'm thrilled that I enticed you away from your own cottage to visit mine. Let's begin before you change your mind about this interview. . . .

What is your full name?  
Bear. 

Fascinating! What one word best describes you? 
Discerning.

Do you have a belly button?  
A bear never tells.

Right. What is the best thing about being you?  
My Tudor cottage. A woman named Kady MacDonald Denton designed it for me. It’s quite lovely. Cozy, homey, and very private. 

Sounds like my Cottage--but without the camera crew. What is the worst thing about being you?  
I seem to attract an unusual amount of attention.
 

A LIBRARY BOOK FOR BEAR. Text copyright © 2014 by Bonny Becker. Illustrations copyright © 2014 by Kady MacDonald Denton. Reproduced by permission of the publisher, Candlewick Press, Somerville, MA.

What is your favorite sound? 
The crackle of a cozy fire.
 
I agree. Just listen to that crackle. What is your least favorite sound?  
The crackle of candy wrappers.
 
Share one thing that most of our readers don’t know about you.  
I may have a belly button.

Aha! The truth comes out. You heard it here first, folks! What is your idea of the perfect day?  
A lovely breakfast, followed by a rather aimless wandering about, then perhaps a snack, then it might be time for lunch. Then a nice bit of reading. A nap, of course. Maybe, if I’m feeling particularly grand, a visit from Mouse. Dinner. Another nice bit of reading and bedtime. No interruptions or unnecessary celebrations or excessiveness. I like an orderly sort of day.

What is your favorite word?  
Indubitably.

What is you least favorite word?  
Empty.

A LIBRARY BOOK FOR BEAR. Text copyright © 2014 by Bonny Becker. Illustrations copyright © 2014 by Kady MacDonald Denton. Reproduced by permission of the publisher, Candlewick Press, Somerville, MA.

What are you reading right now?  
The Very Brave Bear and the Treasure of Pickle Island.

An excellent read. It's on my Little Crooked Bookshelf. If you were stranded on a desert island, what would you bring? 
Pickles.

If you have a pocket, what is in it right now?   
There is a pocket in my apron and in it is a tiny bit of lint.

What is your pet peeve?
Crumbs.

What was it like working with Bonny Becker?  
Delightful. She is a woman of great understanding of Bear types. However, she insists on bringing that mouse along whenever she visits.

What did you eat for breakfast this morning?  
One egg, one slice of toast and a nice cup of tea.

Well, I do hope you saved room for lunch, Bear. Our caterer Nina of Lunches with Love has made a Bear bento especially for you! Thank you, Bear, and please stay for a bite. No pickles, but I'll try not to make any crumbs. 

About the author

Bonny Becker is author of the best-selling Mouse and Bear books, including A Visitor for Bear, New York Times bestseller, winner of the E.B. White Read Aloud Award and Amazon’s Picture Book of the Year. Her latest in the series is A Library Book for Bear released July 2014. Her middle-grade novel, The Magical Ms. Plum, won the 2010 Washington State Children’s Book Award. In all, she’s published thirteen books for children. She is also an instructor for the Northwest Institute of Literary Arts, an accredited program for a Masters of Fine Arts in Writing. 

For more information about Bonny and Bear, visit bonnybecker.com.

About the illustrator
Kady MacDonald Denton is an author and illustrator of books for children. Her books include the Mouse and Bear books; You're Mean, Lily Jean; The Queen of France, and many more. Kady works at the top of the tall yellow brick house, in an attic studio that has lots of room and a skylight. Her books have won awards, are translated into many languages, and are read by children around the world. She lives with her husband in Peterborough, Ontario. Their children are grown but often visit to say hello.

To learn more about Kady, visit her website.





About A Library Book for Bear
Published by Candlewick Press (July 2014)
ISBN-13: 978-07636-4924-1

"Mouse works hard to persuade gruff-but-lovable bear to become a library user. ... Excellent text and layout combine with friendly illustrations to set the newest generation of readers laughing at the well-worn joke of someone bellowing for quiet in the library." —Kirkus Reviews
 
"Friends with very different personalities are a staple of picture books, but few duos are as dependably fresh and amusing as Mouse and Bear." —Booklist

* "Young readers wary of new experiences can count on Bear to lead the way." —School Library Journal, starred review

Read all of the award-winning books about Bear and Mouse!
A Bedtime for Bear
A Birthday for Bear
A Visitor for Bear
The Sniffles for Bear