Bear and the Whisper of the Wind
Bear and the Whisper of the Wind
Bear lived a sweet life.
But that was before. One day, the wind changes, and Bear senses that it is time to go.
He still likes to sit in his favorite chair, but it isn’t as cozy as it used to be. And he still loves the smell of strawberry pie, but it doesn’t taste as good as it used to.
In the picture book Bear and the Whisper of the Wind, Marianne Dubuc explores the idea of following one’s intuition and pushing outside of one’s comfort zone. Bear lives a comfortable life, with good friends and a predictable routine. One day, he feels restless and realizes it is time for him to move on. He packs his favourite things and goes out searching for a new home. He wanders through various landscapes and eventually comes across a rabbit. Bear helps the rabbit before continuing on his journey, unsure why he cannot stay, but knowing he must follow “the whisper of the wind.”
This poignant story about change and growth is just as much for adult readers as it is for children. The author’s note encourages readers to “let ourselves be guided by this ebb and flow, remembering that everything will be fine in the end and that there is always a comforting corner of the world to find.” The gentle illustrations are done in pencil, coloured pencil, and watercolour with a focus on the varied landscapes Bear experiences.
Bear and the Whisper of the Wind was originally published in French as Ours et le Murmure du Vent. The author has previously won TD Canadian Children's Literature Award and the Governor General's Literary Award for French-language children's illustration.
Beth Wilcox Chng is a teacher-librarian in Prince George, British Columbia. She is a graduate of the Master of Arts in Children’s Literature program at the University of British Columbia.