Review of Billy Bear Cub

[Diana Lowery]

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Billy Bear Cub" by Chad Leisse.]

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3 out of 5 stars

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Leisse’s words on the back cover of his book explain, ". . . good manners for young children and new parents have wandered off the path." I completely agree with the author. In Chad Leisse's book, Billy Bear Cub: The Well Mannered Cub, the author credits his parents for teaching him great manners. The book covers a day in the life of Billy, a bear cub, as his mother guides him through the basics of being well mannered.

Simple illustrations in mostly primary colors accompany the text and appropriately add to the narrative. The title page does not list a separate illustrator, so I assume the author is the artist. My favorite page shows Billy falling asleep on a comfy couch while watching TV, a scene many children can easily relate to.

Sadly, the book has not been closely checked for grammatical errors, so I deducted one star for that omission. Incorrectly using 'your' instead of 'you're' twice is a pretty serious mistake. I also deducted one star for the forced rhymes and uneven meter, which create difficulty when reading this book out loud. In addition, there are some inconsistencies. My granddaughter noticed an issue while I was reading the book to her. In one scene, Billy says, "While we drive I sit without a sound and look out the window. And ask questions of the world around." If Billy is not making a sound, how is he asking questions? All of those negatives earned the book a three out of five stars rating.

Despite the issues with the writing, the purpose of the book is admirable, and the lessons being presented to Billy are ones that all children need to learn. Closer editing would help the book earn a five-star rating. Some grammar checkers kept pointing out that well mannered should be hyphenated, but I did some research and found that both spellings are acceptable, so the subtitle, The Well Mannered Cub, is grammatically correct. Momma Bear's advice at the end of the book is something that we could all adhere to: “Billy the way to win this game may take awhile but that is how you go to bed with a smile.”

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Billy Bear Cub
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon

[Onyemuwa-dave]

This is a wonderfully thorough and honest review of Chad Leisse's Billy Bear Cub: The Well Mannered Cub! You've clearly articulated both the admirable intent and the challenges in its execution.

It's great that you highlighted the book's core purpose: teaching good manners to young children, a message you clearly agree is much needed. The simple, primary-colored illustrations and the relatable scene of Billy falling asleep on the couch sound like charming additions.
Thanks for the review.

[Diana Lowery]

This is a wonderfully thorough and honest review of Chad Leisse's Billy Bear Cub: The Well Mannered Cub! You've clearly articulated both the admirable intent and the challenges in its execution.

It's great that you highlighted the book's core purpose: teaching good manners to young children, a message you clearly agree is much needed. The simple, primary-colored illustrations and the relatable scene of Billy falling asleep on the couch sound like charming additions.
Thanks for the review.

Thank you for taking the time to read my review and leave a comment.

[Kibet Hillary]

The book seems to be addressing a very important topic and I look forward to reading and learning what the author seeks to inculcate in children, right from a young age. I hope that the book will be taken through another round of editing. Many thanks for the review, @Diana Lowery.

[Etimbuk Eshiet]

Thank you for the thorough and thoughtful review. I appreciate how you highlighted both the book’s positive intentions and the areas that need improvement, like the rhyme flow and grammatical issues. It’s helpful to know that while the message is meaningful, the execution could be smoother—especially for a read-aloud children's book. Your insights really added value for anyone considering this title.