SLJ Reviews Good Bear, Bad Bear: THIRD starred review!

 ★Yum, Hyewon. Good Bear, Bad Bear. illus. by Hyewon Yum. 40p. Holiday House/Neal Porter. Nov. 2026. Tr $18.99. ISBN 9780823460540.

PreS-Gr 2–As a young child enumerates the things older sister can do, comparison leads to impatience and frustration: ­exasperated, younger sister opines, “My sister can read. I can’t read and never will,” and “She never loses anything. I even lost my front tooth!” She concludes that older sister is the good girl and, “that’s why I can’t help but be the bad one.” Then Mom gives each pale-skinned, black-haired sibling an identical toy bear. Older sister names hers “Good Bear,” while younger sister declares: “I know exactly what to name mine.” Spread-length illustrations ­hilariously ­capture their contrasting play. Older sister and Good Bear read books, sip tea, and play with blocks; younger sister and Bad Bear paint their faces, gobble cookies, and knock down blocks. Well-paced for comic effect, this is a great read-aloud. Yum’s distinctive crayon, colored pencil, and ­watercolor ­illustrations lend a childlike perspective and feature well-chosen ­details. ­Eventually, the sisters ride bikes (little sister on training wheels) and agree to be “neither good nor bad. We are just us.” The book ends with a playful, wordless twist that deliciously underscores this point. VERDICT A well-crafted tale that respects the emotional intelligence of children. Reminiscent of Kevin Henkes’s “Mouse Books,” this deserves a spot in school and public libraries.