A tango between fiction and nonfiction, Marie-Paule Mahoney's
Coco
, about an orphaned bear cub struggling to learn how to become a free, wild bear is a delight for readers of all ages. The very young readers will enjoy the beautiful full-page illustrations. The older ones will relish reading about Coco's first hibernation with her adopted family in a cave full of bats; a sweet reunion with her canine friends, and many other adventures as she matures and eventually has a family of her own. Even parents will appreciate retired teacher Mahoney's fascinating story of interspecies friendship. Experiencing adoption, stepfamilies, bullying, and moving away from friends,
offers a unique mirror of readers' own lives. This sweet but realistic tale of survival opens a unique window to the intricate world of wild and domesticated animals.