What happens when a gaggle of baby geese mistakes a grumpy bear for their mother? That’s exactly what happens in Disney Press’ Mother Bruce by Ryan T. Higgins. Bruce is a grumpy bear whose only enjoyment in life is cooking with eggs. He spends his days collecting eggs around the forest and looking up recipes online, but when four of his eggs hatch he is stuck playing mama bear to these adorable baby geese.
Higgins has written and illustrated Mother Bruce in such a way that parents will get a few chuckles from reading it. Bruce has some modern concerns in mind, such as searching for local, free-range organic eggs for his cooking. Another highlight is the generational gap between parent and offspring as the geese grow up.
With appealing illustrations, a cute concept and clever writing, Mother Bruce is a winner. It’s not as heartwarming as i expected it to be, Bruce doesn’t change his grumpy demeanor by the end. But it’s a great children’s book and would be a great addition to your bedtime story collection.