This week I'd like to turn your attention to one of our lesser-known titles, The Bonsai Bear, written by Bernard Libster and illustrated by Aries Cheung. The Bonsai Bear tells the tale of an orphaned bear in Japan who is adopted by a bonsai master and his wife. The Emperor has forbidden wild animals to be kept as pets, however, so Issa the bonsai master must find a way to disguise the young bear.

You can probably see where this is going. When the little bear begins to grow too large to remain hidden, Issa binds the bear like a bonsai tree to stop him from growing, despite his wife's protestations.

Issa knows that keeping the bear small and domesticated is against its nature, but he loves the bear too much to set him free. He must learn that the true test of his love is accepting and embracing the bear's nature.

The Bonsai Bear is the perfect answer to the child who asks, "Mommy, why can't I have a pet tiger?" Wordier than some of our picture books, this title is probably best suited for children in the eight- to nine-year-old range, though it can certainly be read aloud to younger children.