Title: Teddy & Co
Author: Cynthia Voigt
Illustrator: Paola Zakimi
Publisher: Knopf Books for Young Readers
Publication Date: November 1, 2016
Genre/Format: Picture Book
Grade Range: 2-5
Synopsis:
Teddy is a thinking kind of bear. Of all his friends, he does the most wondering. He lives with a ragtag group of lost toys—a very hungry snake, an elephant who likes to bake, two charmingly silly pigs, and a reclusive penguin—and they all bump along happily together. But their peaceful world gets shaken up when new toys arrive—first a rabbit, who is not as soft and floppy as he looks, and then a beautiful doll with royal ambitions. Will the newcomers learn to fit into the community? Or will the community be forever changed by them? As Teddy the philosopher would answer: Yes.
Cynthia Voigt’s charming tale of community and compromise comes alive in the adorable pictures from Paola Zakimi. Fully illustrated and lovingly designed, this book would make a terrific gift or family read-aloud.
About the Author – Cynthia Voigt
Cynthia Voigt won the Newbery Medal for Dicey’s Song and the Newbery Honor Award for A Solitary Blue, both part of the beloved Tillerman Cycle. She is also the author of many other celebrated books for middle-grade and teen readers, including Izzy, Willy-Nilly and Jackaroo. She was awarded the Margaret A. Edwards Award in 1995 for her work in literature, and the Katahdin Award in 2004. She lives in Maine.
My Thoughts:
My boys were very excited to start reading Teddy & Co when it arrived at our house. While this is a sweet and simple chapter book, it did start out a tad slow. Before we even finished the first chapter, I noticed that I was losing the attention of my five & nine-year old. However, we still continued to open the book daily to read a chapter…over-time they started having more interest in the book. I’m so glad that I didn’t put the book aside after that first chapter, because in the end it was worth the read.
Teddy & Co can be found at your local book retailer or online at stores like Amazon.
