Jenny's Bear

Jenny already owns a whole crowd of pretend bears, but what she really wants is a real one. So she sets about making it happen: she turns the shed into a cosy bear-den, lays out tea and some proper bear-food, and settles down to wait. Then, after a good deal of patience, comes a knock on the door.

Michael Ratnett's picture book understands how seriously small children take their plans, and how much fun lies in getting everything ready. It is a gentle, hopeful story for young listeners who line their toys up on the bed and suspect that, with the right preparations, something wonderful might just turn up.