The Bear who wasn’t there

Once upon a time there was an Itch. And shortly after the once-upon-a-time, the Itch spotted a tree and began to have a good scratch. And then something very curious happened: the Itch began to grow. And a minute later, fur began to cover the Itch. Arms and legs grew out of the fur, and a nose. It wasn’t long before the Itch looked just like a Bear.
And here he is: the Bear who wasn’t there just a moment ago. In his pocket he finds a note with a question written on it: “Are you me?” Good question, he thinks to himself, let’s find out!
So he wanders off into the Fabulous Forest, where he meets the Convenience Cow and the Lazy Lizard. Both assure him that he is a very nice bear indeed! Contented, he wanders on until he comes to the Compass Tree. So many ways to choose from: North, South, East, West, Wrong, Right, Lunch, Breakfast. Which way should he go? Breakfast? Lunch? If the Turtle Taxi hadn’t chanced along, the Bear might still be standing there…
Now, we already know that this is a very nice and a very happy bear. With his particular take on life, he could easily be a distant relative of Winnie-the-Pooh. And because everyone will want to know who he is, adults as well as children will love Oren Lavie’s bear and his enchanting and wise story with its unforgettable pictures by Wolf Erlbruch.