When bear Albert's favorite tree starts crying loudly, other woodland animals try without success to help him cheer it up. Finally, Albert hugs the tree and discovers who's really crying: an owl who's afraid of a "big hairy monster," i.e., Albert. Having cleared up their comical misunderstanding, the two new friends enjoy the tree together. Childlike mixed-media illustrations complement the story's gentle humor. (c) Copyright 2019. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

PreS-K-It's spring and Albert the bear is awake and heading to his favorite place-his tree. Albert splays out on a branch but hears a strange noise coming from the tree, so he, along with his animal friends, must investigate. Their conclusion: the tree is crying. Bear and the animals grow increasingly frustrated as their attempts at cheering up the tree fail and the wailing continues. When Bear decides to give his tree a hug, he finds out the voice belongs to baby Owl who is afraid of the "monster." When baby owl peeks out, both parties are surprised: Bear is not a monster and the tree's voice belongs to an Owl! The pair end up as fast friends. The primarily green and brown palette of the illustrations stands out against mostly white backgrounds. Hand-lettered comments from the animal friends lend humor to the story. VERDICT An ideal read-aloud for a storytime about bears or trees, or enjoyed one-on-one. A sweet addition for most collections.-Ramarie Beaver, Plano Public Library System, TX © Copyright 2018. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

Albert the bear emerges from hibernation ready to greet his favorite fir tree. But for some reason, Tree is crying. His friends suggest various remedies (digging holes to play in and supplying fresh grass), but the wailing continues. Albert finally hugs his tree and discovers the true source of distress: an owlet who is afraid of a big hairy monster. The author-illustrator of The Blue Whale (2015) and The Polar Bear (2016) here offers another nature-themed picture book. Her mixed-media illustrations combine realistic depictions (the owlet) with more expressionistic forms (Albert and the other animals) that include pronounced facial expressions. Blues, greens, and browns predominate, and some pages employ white backgrounds that accommodate multiple small scenes. The endpapers are particularly clever: the front, representing winter, includes cutaways depicting the animals' underground homes; the back surveys the same scene above ground in early spring. This is ideal for a springtime story hour, paired with April Pulley Sayre's Eat like a Bear (2013).--Weisman, Kay Copyright 2018 Booklist

A wailing, sad tree poses a problem for a loving bear just waking from hibernation.When Albert, a cuddly brown bear, wakes up as the snow starts to melt, he knows exactly where to go. His tree, which is perfect to him ("Not too hard, or too soft, or too slippery, or too prickly"), is waiting. But the tree doesn't seem as happy to be reunited; it begins to cry uncontrollably, leading Albert and forest friends such as Rabbit and Caribou to offer possible remedies, from digging holes to play in to gathering grass to eat. When Albert tries a big bear hug, he finds that Tree is harboring a resident, Owl, who is crying aloud for fear of the big, furry monster lurking nearby. (It's Albert, of course.) The picture book is as cozy and familiar as a teddy bear's embrace, but smart touches elevate the story. They include vignettes against white space that contrast beautifully with more detailed and colorful spreads that give a wider view of the world around Albert. And by naming Albert alone of the characters, Desmond keeps readers' sympathies squarely on the well-meaning mammal. If that weren't enough, the endpapers include a lovely cutaway view of underground hibernation and a hilarious offhand joke that add beauty and charm, respectively, to an already endearing effort.There are lots of children's books about cute bears who talk like people, but few are as cleverly put together and as witty as Albert's little adventure. (Picture book. 3-8)