An Unlikely Pair (1) (Molly and the Bear)

New

4.0

0.0 (0)

23 0

Write Review Add to favorites

Author(s)

Bob Scott

Co-Authors / Illustrators

Vicki Scott

Publisher

Aladdin

Genre(s)

Age Range

Release Date

August 06, 2024

ISBN

978-1665943123

Buy This Book

Based on the beloved comic strip “Bear with Me” by Bob Scott, this lighthearted odd couple middle grade graphic novel is about a girl and her very best friend: an 800-pound scaredy-bear!

When Bear wanders into eleven-year-old Molly’s life, she knows she’s just met her new bestie. Loyal, sweet, inquisitive—and terrified of almost everything—Bear makes a great new friend. And he’s not scary at all! But try telling that to the rest of the world.

Molly eventually convinces her mom and dad to let Bear stay with them, but showing everyone else that Bear isn’t dangerous (not to mention assuring Bear that he isn’t in constant danger!) is going to take some work. Lucky for Bear, Molly doesn’t give up easily.

Editor review

1 review

New meaning to the phrase "Bear with me"!

January 01, 2025

Overall rating

4.0

Plot

4.0

Characters

4.0

Writing Style

3.0

Illustrations/Photos (if applicable)

5.0

When 11 year old Molly's leave her home alone briefly to go crusing in their classic car, she is glad to be home alone. She texts with her best friend, but eventually has a big surprise-- a bear has come in through the kitchen window and eaten all of her mother's cookies! The bear is more frightened of Molly than Molly is of the bear, so Molly talks to Bear and gets him to calm down. She's always wanted a pet, and what better pet than an 800 pound bear? She spends a delightful summer with her new friend, hiding him from her parents. Eventually, it's time to go back to school. Everyone loves the new addition to the school, and even her teacher and the principal don't mind having the bear around. Someone who does mind is Max, a good friend of Molly's, who yells at her for breaking the rules. Molly is hurt and confused, since the school year had been going so well. Eventually, she lets her parents know about Bear, and even makes peace with Max.

Good Points

I loved the style of the illustrations. They have a very mid century feel to them, and the father has a sort of George Jetson vibe. It's a bit goofy, but fun. I can see this being popular with a wide range of readers because of the mix of bright pictures, large text, and age appropriate coping skills.

This book is based on the comic strip by Bob Scott, and has a lot of good information about dealing with anxiety and fears, which will make it popular with readers who enjoyed graphic novels like Libenson's Invisible Emmie, Scrivan's Nat Enough, and Vivat's Frazzled.