Natalia Shaloshvili Books

This beautifully illustrated, heartwarming text would be a great stimulus for a number of PSED/PSHE themes in an EYFS or Primary school setting.

The book is a day in the life commentary of the main character, Bear, who loves being a bear, loves his cookie, book and balloon and sitting on his bench all alone. The book starts on his favourite bench where he enjoys his favourite things, until everything starts to change. One by one, different characters visit and ask him to share, instead of saying how he feels, Bear thinks and thinks.

As the book progresses, Bear, who has bottled up his emotions, surprisingly loses his cool. The text navigates the fallout from this, and there is a lot of opportunity to discuss the characters and their responses, including Bear’s request at the end of the text. The book could be used across a primary school as a stimulus for discussion around topics such as friendship, kindness, empathy and emotions. It could also be used as a social story or topic starter for pupils who may have difficulty with self-regulation, getting along with others or managing their emotions.