A Bear for Bimi

by Jane Breskin Zalben (Author) Yevgenia Nayberg (Illustrator)

A Bear for Bimi
Reading Level: 2nd − 3rd Grade
When Bimi's refugee family immigrates to America and moves into Evie's neighborhood, not everybody is welcoming. But with the help of Evie's teddy bear, Bimi's family becomes part of the neighborhood and Evie makes a new friend.
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Kirkus

A lovely story about friendship, welcoming the other, and winning people’s hearts with kindness. (Picture book. 4-8)

Review quotes

A family from another country moves into Evie's neighborhood. Everyone warmly welcomes them except for one person who has a different perspective.

Evie, whose family is White and Jewish, is very curious about the Saids. The parents and child have dark brown skin and are Muslim. Evie's parents confirm that the newcomers, refugees or immigrants, are similar to her own Jewish grandparents. Bimi, the kid in the Said family, is timid the first time he meets Evie. However, they quickly become friends. On moving day, Evie's father, who wears a kippah, helps with carrying boxes, then everyone in the neighborhood contributes items to the new home. The neighbors, diverse in skin color, dress, age, and religion, gather around the Saids' table for a festive meal that weekend. But Mrs. Monroe, a White woman, is missing. Both sets of parents, independently, try to explain to Evie and Bimi what may be behind the neighbor's strange looks and behavior toward the Saids. Throughout the story, the Saids, albeit mostly on the receiving end of help, actively participate in shaping their world, including eventually winning over Mrs. Monroe with kindness and humor. Nayberg's jewel-toned paintings play with perspective and angle, compositions and figuring emphasizing emotion rather than strict realism. An author's note and instructions for making a stuffed bear conclude the book.

A lovely story about friendship, welcoming the other, and winning people's hearts with kindness. — Kirkus Reviews

— "Journal" (7/29/2021 12:00:00 AM)
Classification
Fiction
ISBN-13
9781728415727
Lexile Measure
580
Guided Reading Level
-
Publisher
Kar-Ben Publishing (R)
Publication date
September 01, 2021
Series
-
BISAC categories
JUV039060 - Juvenile Fiction | Social Themes | Friendship
JUV039250 - Juvenile Fiction | Social Themes | Emigration & Immigration
JUV074000 - Juvenile Fiction | Diversity & Multicultural
Library of Congress categories
United States
Jews
Emigration and immigration
Neighborliness
Muslims

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