Written by Pog
Illustrated by Stephanie Leo
Translated from the French by Katy Lockwood-Holmes
Published by Floris Books
Mom's Review
Best grumpy-man-change-of-heart book! I love how we see that he wasn't loved as a child, has the capacity for love in safety of his own home with the teddy bears he bought himself to make up for childhood loss. When trick-or-treaters accidentally push the unlocked door open, they see him surrounded by his bears. One little child mistakes the bears for the treats, takes one, and hugs Mr. Crump "thank you." When the other children follow suit, he realizes that it was actually a nice feeling to bring them happiness and have a positive interaction. Slowly, he begins to warm to his neighborhood and they to him. The beautiful illustrations and raw truth of the story acknowledge how easy it is to build walls around ourselves in response to hurt and how difficult it can be to pull them slowly down. Ending on an uplifting note, Mr. Crump is shown sledding with neighbors and his original teddy bear - a blend of old and new friends.
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