I THOUGHT THIS WAS A BEAR BOOK, released last week (!!!!!), tells a fractured fairytale only in dialogue…which I wouldn’t normally recommend, because the speech bubbles can obscure illustrations. But if you’re working with the genius that is Benji Davies, you don’t have to worry. Because somehow, he fits it all in! And it’s all gorgeous, dahlinks!

This book took four years to come to print—like a fine bouillabaisse, it simmered long. (Sorry, I just heard that on TV and guffawed, so I had to use it.)

Here’s one of my favorite spreads of the book turned into a coloring page. It’s a quick PDF download. Click it, print it out, share it, make up dialogue for Prince Zilch and Papa Bear! What are they saying? (Is it something about the tourists posting to Instagram? I dunno, they don’t look like millenials to me.)

bearbookcoloringpageimage

Enjoy!

And now…onto some winnahs…

First, let me say this to everyone who has bought the book, shared it and otherwise helped spread the word:

Merci Buckets (1)

See, my buckets overfloweth! (Overfloweth = what I think Gwyneth should have named Apple.)

It takes a village to sell a book, and I’m grateful!

Bear Book final cover

Here are the winners of a signed, personalized I THOUGHT THIS WAS A BEAR BOOK from my Facebook author page and PiBoIdMo group contest:

JANET DISOTELL
CARISSA MINA
DAMON DEAN

Congratulations! I’ll be contacting you shortly to arrange delivery!

Well, now I must bid you a fair adieu because I’m taking a little blogging break. (Honestly, if I can stay away for three days, I’ll be flabbergasted. Like you were reading the “fine bouillabaisse” line above.)

bouillabaisse

GONE FISHING! (To make this, of course!)