Stella and the Berry Thief
by Jane b. Mason

Why I chose this book

I chose this book for its beautiful pastels. Many of the Loek Koopman illustrations remind me of Thomas Kinkaid's beautiful soft colors. Beyond the illustrations, I appreciate the gentle lesson about sharing even with wild things.

Synopsis

Stella adores raspberries. But one summer, the berries in her garden start to disappear. Clever Stella sets out to find the thief--only to discover that he's an enormous bear. Soft, pastel illustrations bring an old-fashioned feel to this sweet tale about kindness and sharing.

Description

In this picture book primarily for girls 5 - 8 years of age, a young reader can understand that selfishness and self-centeredness can become part of a person even as nice as Stella when her raspberries become too important to her. It is unthinkable to Stella that she lose her crop to anyone, even a bear. She tries many tricks to outwit the black bear. In the end she learns the lesson of kindness and sharing. Stella even learned to share her prized raspberries with others.