Gunilla Ingves: Bruno Bear's Spring

Bruno the bear and his dog Lola are the heroes of 4 picture books created by the contemporary Swedish artist Gunilla Ingves. Each book is dedicated to one of the seasons – winter, spring, summer, and autumn – and describes one day in the lives of the characters, filled with "seasonal" activities and amusements.

In the book "Bruno's Spring," the bear and his dog set off for a walk in the morning to see what has changed in nature with the arrival of spring. They observe birds building nests and hatching chicks, young grass poking through last year's leaves, and insects waking up. They learn to identify songbirds by their calls – the skylark, the woodpecker, the owl – plant seedlings, and do some spring cleaning at home. The day is very full and covers all the main signs of spring, chores, and daily tasks. Everything Bruno and Lola see and do, we too can see and do every spring – at the dacha, in the park, or during a trip to the countryside.

The main story of the book is "framed" by notes from Bruno the bear's observation diary, which are placed at the beginning and end of the book. They contain many sketches and informative facts about the natural world of the specific season. The first diary spread is dedicated to birds: what they look like and how they sing, what they build nests from, and how they hatch their chicks. The second details how to plant seedlings, how a seed sprouts in the ground, and what the first snowdrops look like.

The books in the Bruno the bear series can be called a practical encyclopedia of the seasons for children aged 3-6. With gentle pastel-toned illustrations, charming main characters, and plenty of details to pore over on every page.

Author: Gunilla Ingves

Translation: Olga Myaeots

Pages: 32 (offset). Hardcover

Dimensions 220×220×10 mm