Bear

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Bear is Patrick's service dog and helps him navigate the world he can't see. But when Bear also loses his sight, he goes on an adventure to restore it.

I saw this title on Netgalley, and I wasn't able to resist the story concept and adorable art. So here is my first graphic novel review!

Bear is a guide dog who helps blind vending machine repairman Patrick get around town. But one day, Bear loses his sight. He goes on an adventure to regain his sight and learns how to imagine surroundings from a raccoon, smell them from a bear, and how to hear his surroundings from a bat. Throughout his journey, Bear realizes that his disability will not prevent him from doing his job and that his other senses can replace his eyesight.

The illustrations are charming, with both the "real world" and "Bear's world" versions of the scene. For example, when the dog Bear meets some actual bears, he imagines them as big versions of himself -- giant brown dogs. You see black rooms with the furniture outlined when Bear loses his sight because he is remembering the room instead of seeing it. This is mentioned in the afterword as a method that many blind individuals use to "see" their surroundings.

This is not only an adorable animal story with good lessons, but also a great learning opportunity for children to learn about the blind and guide dogs. Highly recommended for parents to read and discuss with their children to give them a better worldview. The only unfortunate thing about this lovely story is that the visual medium doesn't translate well for those who cannot see the illustrations themselves. I hope there is an audiobook version in the future!

Ben Queen is a writer and TV producer. His notable screenplays are Disney/Pixar's Cars 2 and Cars 3. He lives in Los Angeles.

Joe Todd-Stanton has a degree in illustration from UWE Bristol. He is a Brighton native.

Publisher: Archaia (BOOM! Studios)

Length: 160 pages

Release Date: August 18, 2020

I received an electronic galley copy of this title from the publisher through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.