Thank you to Disney for providing the book for review and a prize pack for the giveaway.

Bruce.  Man, what a mom.  He’s supposed to be hibernating, but instead we find that he’s in Miami with his four adopted geese kids.  He might not be happy about it, but he’s doing it like a champ.

So when they all come home, back to their super-cozy, super-awesome cave and find that it has been commandeered and turned into a hotel by three opportunistic mice — he is none too pleased.

From Hotel Bruce by Ryan T. Higgens. Used with permission.

He keeps his cool for awhile and while he may be grizzly, he is quite patient as he finds a variety of woodland animals have taken up residence in his home.

From Hotel Bruce by Ryan T. Higgens. Used with permission.

From Hotel Bruce by Ryan T. Higgens. Used with permission.

It isn’t until he finds himself in a bellhop outfit facing down a literal busload of elephants that he kicks everyone out.

Well…

Maybe not everyone.

Hotel Bruce is a very funny and ultimately sweet book that accurately and succinctly portrays what life is like in our house and probably in millions, if not billions, of other homes around the world.  The chaos, the obligation, the grumpiness, and how the odds are stacked against parents — are all so perfectly embodied in this surly, uni-browed bear. Parents will feel a sense of a solidarity and know that it isn’t only them.  (Or maybe I am just projecting.)

This is an excellent book to read to children of all ages to show them that good people aren’t always nice and sometimes can be very grumpy.  It’s a hard lesson to teach kids (and adults for that matter) — but with this book and Mother Bruce (the first book in this series), it’s told in a way that easily makes this lesson memorable and clear.

Hotel Bruce is also a great example of how wonderful families come in all shapes and sizes — and form from a variety of circumstances.

The illustrations are fantastic.  Between the rich and enchanting background textures, bold lines, intriguing and hilarious facial expressions, rich colors, and dapper outfits on the animals — you will find yourself effortlessly drawn into the story.  The large, relatively spare text with dialogue interspersed in bubbles – make this book inviting and appealing for even the most reluctant of readers.

My two boys love Hotel Bruce.  We’ve read it and read it and read it some more and each time we all laugh and have a great time. ( And each time I refrain from saying, “See!  This is exactly what it is like being a parent!”)

Kids will laugh and parents will knowingly nod along, but everyone will enjoy this book. It’s a win in every way.

Recommended Ages 5 to 8 (Resident two-year-old loves it). Disney-Hyperion. October 2016. 48 pages. ISBN: 978-1484743621 Fiction (But it speaks the truth!).

And now for the Giveaway!

One (1) winner receives:

• a copy of Hotel Bruce.
• a “Wipe Your Paws” welcome mat.

Prizing and samples provided by Disney-Hyperion.

• Open to US Addresses Only (Sorry everyone else!  I’m working with some other publishers to do international giveaways in the future! Stay tuned.)
• Must Be 18 years or older.
• I will share your address with the company that will be mailing you the book, but I won’t share it with anyone else unrelated to the giveaway.
• This giveaway is open between October 28th, 2016 and November 11th, 2016 by midnight.
• To Enter:  Visit Rafflecopter here!
  • PLEASE NOTE:  This is my first attempt with Rafflecopter during a giveaway.  If I experience any technical glitches, errors, or anything else annoying and gets in the way of running this giveaway that I cannot predict — I reserve the right to change the way I run the giveaway or fix it in whatever way I need to for it work.  I am acting in good faith and doing my best to make sure this runs smoothly.

Where to Get it:

• [Affiliate Link]: Amazon.com
• [Independent Bookstore]: Indiebound.org
• [Library]: Worldcat.org

Author and Illustrator Websites:

• Ryan T. Higgins

More Reviews:

• Kirkus Reviews
• Seattle Book Review
• Laughing Place

Where Obtained:  I received a review copy from the publisher. No other compensation was received. All opinions are my own.  I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

FTC Disclosures:  Some of the links in the post above are Amazon affiliate links and others are IndieBound affiliate links. If you click on the link and purchase something, I will receive an affiliate commission at no additional cost to you. Which goes to fund my family’s picture book habit.  It’s a vicious cycle, but we manage.  I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”