Crazy Bear

Football Crazy introduced us to Bruno, a most welcome and original addition to that long line of literary bears. He's back again in not one but four smashing picture stories: Cowboy Crazy, Snow Crazy, Pirate Crazy and Rock and Roll Crazy. Bruno, in the classic tradition, is really a furry child and Colin McNaughton recalls exactly how it was - and essentially still is. Back from Saturday morning pictures Bruno becomes Bruno the Kid. In town he leaves his horse (bike) on Main Street and goes looking for trouble. After many adventures and 'days and days of hard riding across deserts and over mountains' he arrives 'back at the ranch' to find himself faced (in a full length mirror) with a shoot out with his worst enemy, Black Jack McDraw. A double spread of the duel. Bruno getting shot (Arghh! He got me!) and dying dramatically over eight frames ('eeiiiee!', 'aarrrr!', 'oofa!') shows McNaughton at his funny and talented best. for combining pictures, picture strip, text and speech bubbles. there's no-one like him. Crazy Bear has appeal across a wide age range. (Try it with older slow readers.) Not to be missed.