The Bear and the Wildcat by Kazumi Yumoto

The Bear and the Wildcat

Title: The Bear and the Wildcat

Author: Kazumi Yumoto

Illustrator: Komako Sakai

Publisher: Gecko Press (2011)

ISBN: 9781877467707

Translated from Japanese. Devastated Bear finds his friend Bird dead. He shuts himself away from the world while he grieves. “Bear thought back over their special times together. He remembered how the tiny black beak had tickled when the bird pecked Bear’s forehead to wake him each morning… Bear remembered everything.” In the Spring Bear meets Wildcat who he confides in about his friend Bird. “This little bird must have been a very special friend of yours… You must miss him a lot.” Through his new friendship with Wildcat, Bear feels ready to start the grieving process.

For children suffering from anxiety reading about characters experiencing similar issues helps them to verbalise their worries and understand they are not alone.

Explaining death and loss to children is a difficult task. These picture books will help open a dialogue and support children on the difficult topic of death and bereavement.

Recognising their own feelings and those of others helps children identify and control their own emotions in challenging situations. These picture books promote compassionate and empathetic attitudes to build positive relationships.

There are many reasons children may suffer from isolation. Use these picture books to show characters dealing with feelings of isolation by making new friends and trying new things.

These picture books focus on stories, authors and illustrators from Japan. They help bring Japan to life for those who have never visited.

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Resources

These resources relate to the book, author and illustrator. The number of resources varies book to book. Please check they are appropriate for your specific needs before using them with children. If you have any suggestions please get in touch!

Child Bereavement UK: Supporting Families and Educating Professionals
Child Development Institute: How to Talk to Kids About Death
Kirkus Reviews: Kazumi Yumoto: An Appreciation
Gecko Press: Kazumi Yumoto biography
Gecko Press: Komako Sakai biography
Take a look inside The Bear and the Wildcat

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The Bear and the Wildcat