Loved to Bits - Hardcover

PreS-Gr 1- A child narrator and his beloved teddy bear, Stripy Ted, imagine and play together in bed. The boy and his bear have adventures "around [the] bed/from dreams we had,/and books we read." Presumably after years of make-believe fun, Stripy Ted needed a wash, has lost an ear, an eye, a leg, an arm, until "the last stitch tore and Stripy Ted fell to the floor." Now battered, worn-out, and simply a body with a head, the little boy appreciates the bear even more in his well-loved condition. Heapy's story line will be easily accessible for young readers, and Cleminson's expressive, warm renderings, drawn with ink pipette, charcoal, and watercolor, are delicate, thoughtful, and whimsical. VERDICT A simple, tender addition to children's stories about imaginative play and security toys, perfect for bedtime reading. Recommended for purchase.-Brianne ­Colombo, Fairfield Free Public Library, NJα(c) Copyright 2011. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.