Book Tour and Giveaway: What Bear Said about Life, Love, and Other Stuff by Jack Wiens

Book Details:

​Book Title:  What Bear Said about Life, Love, and Other Stuff by Jack Wiens
Category:  Children's Fiction (Ages 3-7),  98 pages
Genre: Juvenile fiction/picture book/values & virtues
Publisher: Torchflame Books
Release date:  October 15, 2024
Content Rating: G. Specifically for children.

Book Description:

The boy has a lot of questions—hard ones about love, honesty, grief and loss, prejudice, forgiveness, why we are here, and more.

Bear's wise answers are always offered with compassion and enthusiasm. The friendship between these two is deep, tender, and sometimes fun. Bear's clear, common-sense philosophy of life is a welcome contrast to the complex world our children face today.

On the beautifully illustrated pages, you will also meet Jay, Raccoon, Badger, Elder Moose, and others who add to the fun and adventure.

Walk with Boy and Bear for a while in the woods and see what you might learn about life, love and other stuff.

​This uplifting book will surely become a treasured collection of simple wisdom, inspiring rich, meaningful conversations between adults and children alike. 

Buy the Book:
Amazon 
B&N ~ Bookshop.org
​add to Goodreads

Meet the Author:

Jack Wiens has illustrated over 40 children’s books and designed many book covers, a family magazine, curriculum materials and greeting cards. He has also exhibited his fine art in galleries and art shows in Colorado, Missouri and Oregon.

Jack earned a Masters degree in Marriage and Family Therapy and worked as a counselor for 34 years in private practice as well as in a hospital inpatient addictions program and mental health centers. He led many workshops on communication, relationships and self-care during his career as psychotherapist.

​He lives in Ashland, Oregon, where he enjoys the natural beauty of nearby mountains, lakes and rivers, the creative energy of the community and good friendships. Besides hiking, biking and tennis, a favorite activity is exploring the Oregon coast and whale watching in Depoe Bay.

connect with the author: website 

Guest Post:

"Bear, do you ever get tired of me and your other friends?

What Bear Said

Hmmm… I do like being alone sometimes, but without you, Jay, Raccoon and all my friends I would be quite lonely. It is true that friendship requires patience.

For example, dear Raccoon loves to visit late at night and tell me her stories. They are interesting, but sometimes just LONG.

And there’s Jay, who can get very excited and loud, but he always speaks the truth from a higher perspective.

Oh, and there’s Porcupine. Very kind and dear, but a bit hazardous to hug!

Bear, maybe it would be best not to hug Porcupine.

What Bear Said

Perhaps." 

This conversation between the boy and Bear was important I thought because it is an opportunity to explore some of the challenges of friendship and how it requires accepting each other’s faults and imperfections. The boy begins by wondering if Bear ever gets tired of him and Bear’s other friends. The boy needs some reassurance that he isn’t just a “bother” to Bear. Don’t we all need a little reassurance once in a while? 

Bear admits needing time alone sometimes and models honesty and appreciation in the comments offered about some beloved friends. The value of each friend outweighs their flaws.  Bear’s acknowledgement that without friends, Bear would be lonely is a simple explanation for why we all endure and tolerate our friends’ less attractive qualities.

There is a hint in the conversation, in regard to Porcupine and Badger, that we sometimes have to take care of ourselves in relation to others who might have behavior or traits that could harm us. Loving from a distance might be a necessity for our own health and wellbeing.

In my work as a counselor, and in my own personal life, it has been made very clear how important our relationships are—how much they enrich our lives and meet basic needs for love, support and survival. Also very important is learning how to keep ourselves safe and healthy while in relationships. That might require distance, time-out, saying “No,” speaking very honestly about our feelings and needs.

Enter the Giveaway:

WHAT BEAR SAID ABOUT LIFE LOVE AND OTHER STUFF Book Tour Giveaway

My Review: 

What Bear Said about Life, Love, and Other Stuff is a great release from new to me author, Jack Wiens. I live in a rural area and live among different wildlife, including bears. I love that the main character in the book to be a bear, conveniently named Bear. He takes his little red headed friend on a adventure teaching him some valuable life lessons. I thought their friendship was so sweet and heartwarming to see. I could not help but to tear up at times and I love the beautiful way Bear described some difficult parts of life. 

Jack Wiens not only shows his talents as an author, he, also, displays his talents as an artist in his What Bear Said about Life, Love, and Other Stuff. The illustrations of the book were a perfect addition to the story. They were colorful and fun to see Bear's wisdom shine on each page.

I am going to give What Bear Said about Life, Love, and Other Stuff a very well deserved five plus stars. I highly recommend it for readers of all ages, particularly for families that can read and discuss what they learn together along the way. I would love to read more from Jack Wiens in the future.

I received a soft cover copy of Jack Wiens' What Bear Said about Life, Love, and Other Stuff from the publisher, but was not required to write a positive review. This review is one hundred percent my own honest opinion.