“Compare Bear’s Double Dare” by Kim Linette

Compare Bear’s Double Dare: Be Yourself – Don’t Compare!

By Kim Linette
Illustrator: James Loram
Kapalua Cove (2019)
ISBN: 9781950062010
Reviewed by Evan (age 7) for Reader Views Kids (03/2021)

“Compare Bear’s Double Dare: Be Yourself – Don’t Compare!” is about a kid, Danny who meets a bear and the bear tells him his name is Compare Bear. Have you ever met a bear named Compare Bear? Danny, never having played with a bear before wants to play with Compare Bear. He asks him to join and race up a tree and even roar into a cave. Danny knows that bears have loud roars, but Compare Bear says no to everything. You know why? Because Compare Bear thinks that something else can do better than him. He won’t climb up a tree because once he saw a squirrel climb up a tree so fast he decided that he would never climb up a tree ever again. The minute he tells this story, Danny sees Compare Bear’s tail change into a squirrel’s tail. When Danny asks him to race, Compare Bear says nope again. Compare Bear does not want to race. You know why? Because he once saw a coyote run faster than him he promised to never race again. Danny can’t believe it when Compare Bear’s Legs change into coyote legs. He now gets why Compare Bear’s name is Compare. His own doubt turns Compare Bear into the creature he is comparing himself to.

Danny convinces Compare Bear to try and do the things he didn’t want to do and not be afraid of doing something. Danny dares Compare Bear to always try. Compare Bear realizes he can do things his way. No one is as better as You! His body changes back to normal and they change Compare Bears name to Dare Bear.

Mom’s note: I love the idea behind this book. Children often feel like they have to be as good as someone else. As adults, it is hard to not compare ourselves to others, but there is no you.  You are like no one else. You are important and what makes you, YOU is no one in the world can be like you. It is hard to not be able to throw just like your favorite pitcher or run like your favorite marathon runner. But what is important is you throw how YOU would throw, you run at your own pace. That is what makes you, YOU. It is okay not to be like everyone else. That is what makes you unique and children should know they don’t have to be like anyone but themselves. It is such an important lesson to learn early in life because you are the only one that can define your character, as you grow up people will adore the YOU, you become!