The bear opens one eye again and demands that a new den be prepared for him

Review of the Italian edition "Bear does not want to sleep".

The publisher Jaca Book also uncovers small treasures in less-known countries, such as Ukraine, which is home to award-winning artists like Romana Romanyshyn and Andriy Lesiv. Oksana Bula, also from Ukraine, is the author of this book, which tells the story of a Bear who, fearing he will miss out on all the fun things that happen in winter, refuses to go into hibernation.

This theme is not new, but here, the Tukoni, fantastic creatures dear to the author, will arrive to try and convince Bear. These creatures, created by the author and already central in her other stories, are Forest Spirits, and in this case, they are determined to make Bear sleep. They bring him food, socks, and other comforts. But nothing works. Bear opens one eye again and demands a new den because his current one isn't comfortable. The Tukoni get to work, but no den seems right...

It’s only when Bear encounters the slow-moving snail, calmly preparing for sleep, that he finds peace and the tranquility to let go and drift into slumber.

This theme perfectly captures how children resist sleep, trying to keep everything under control, afraid of missing out, unable to relax, and struggling to find the inner calm to let go of things. The positive but overly energetic efforts of the Tukoni aren't helpful, as they might only provide too much stimulation, further agitating Bear. Instead, it's the calm, slow, peaceful presence of Snail that becomes a soothing example in itself.

If this book is read as a bedtime story, it will be very calming to slow down the pace of your voice on the final pages, during the encounter with Snail, following its slow journey along the branch to the little leaf waiting for it like a cozy bed.

Letizia Bolzani

AZIONE

Cherry Tree Avenue

Publication date 18.05.2020