Book Title: Bear’s Deep Sleep
Author: Nalini Sorensen
Illustrator: Shubham Lakhera
Publisher: Tota Books (now an imprint of Speaking Tiger Books)
Type: Paperback
Length: 32 pages
Age: 2.5 – 5 years
As parents, we often wonder: “Is this book worth our child’s time—and mine?” We flip to the back, skim reviews on kbc and Amazon, ask friends on kbc. That’s exactly what I did before picking up this story. The synopsis intrigued me—but the story itself did so much more. By the time I turned the last page, I realized this wasn’t just another bedtime book. It became a tool for guiding my toddler through big emotions, friendships, and the beauty of the natural world.
Bear is heartbroken. She’ll miss Christmas again as Mother Nature has defined plans for her. Her best friend Monkey, can’t bear to see her sad, so he sets out to make a change. He rallies their forest friends to wake Bear—but will it work? What happens next is both heartwarming and surprisingly emotional. The ending? Let’s just say… we finished the book with smiles and shiny eyes.
Our greatest takeaways:
1. True Friendship, Beautifully Told – It gently shows how friends support one another—being there, listening, and trying their best. Monkey’s empathy and determination are something every child can learn from.
2. New Sounds, New Words – From the coo of a Koel to Bear’s sleepy snore—this book introduced sounds we hadn’t talked about before. Reading them out loud turned into giggle-filled moments of connection.
3. An Introduction to Hibernation – This natural process is explained in a subtle, child-friendly way. It opened up a lovely discussion with my toddler about how animals prepare for winter.
4. The Power of Trying, Even When You Might Not Succeed – The forest friends gave it their all. It didn’t go as planned—but their love, effort, and community spirit shone through. A powerful lesson that trying matters, even when the outcome isn’t in your control.
5. Stunning Illustrations – The artwork pulls children right into the forest. Bright, expressive, and full of movement—it’s captivating even before you open the cover.
My 3 year old daughter like the animal sounds the most. She also was intrigued by the friendship between monkey and bear. Friendship is an evolving concept for her. She has finally learnt to share but showing up for her friends and helping them is fairly new.
This book packages a gentle, engaging way to teach resilience, empathy, and seasonal change—without it feeling like a lesson. If you’re building a bookshelf filled with stories that nurture both heart and mind, this one deserves a spot.
Other books by Nalini Sorensen can be found here on Amazon.
If you like this review and wish to join the Monkey and his friends to wake bear, you could order the book from Amazon (kbc affiliate link),
CLICK & BUY NOW!Disclaimer: Abha is a part of the #kbcReviewerSquad and received this book as a review copy from the publisher via kbc.
