Patrick in A Teddy Bear's Picnic and Other Stories

An Eisner Best Publication for Early Readers Nominee 2012
Association for Library Service to Children’s Graphic Novels Reading List 2013

“Hayes, the Geisel Award-winning cartoonist of Benny and Penny in The Big No-No! (2009) and two other Benny and Penny books, offers emerging readers another beginning comic book that’s pure charm…Sure to be a favorite in any kids’ collection.”—Booklist

“Kids will find Patrick easy to identify with and will laugh at his frank statements and his attempts to avoid Big Bear. Adults will appreciate the sweetness of the tales and everyone will enjoy Hayes’ softly colored, highly detailed artwork which joyfully spills across the pages.”—School Library Journal

“This emerging reader graphic novel by the Geisel Award–winning Hayes follows a young anthropomorphic bear named Patrick Brown and his gentle, laugh-filled adventures with his loving mother and father…Readers will find the most humor in the expressions, as when the mama bear is less than thrilled with Patrick’s decision to jump in puddles.”—Publishers Weekly

“Patrick has the same real child feeling with delightful illustrations and Toon Books signature blend of easy text and simple comic panels… Hayes’ characters have charm without being saccharine and while Patrick may not appeal to the screen-obsessed kids who only want easy readers with tv tie-in characters, most kids will be drawn in by the comic format and funny pictures and find themselves giggling along with the story as they improve their reading and comprehension skills.”—Jean Little Library

“Patrick in a Teddy Bear’s Picnic and Other Stories follows a young, determined bear as he goes on a splendid picnic and takes a trip to the store. The text is manageable for a beginning reader, as each panel contains around one sentence or expression—and there are plenty of sight words. The illustrations are amusing and easy for the reader’s eye to follow.”—Beaumont Library

“Geoffrey Hayes has developed some lovely comics for beginning readers starring his loveable little bear, Patrick… Hayes is right on target with Patrick’s view of the world, concerns and talents. Beginning Readers will identify with Patrick right away! The graphics have that soft edged look and bright but not glaring colors that Patrick fans have always loved. I am so glad Patrick is back, just in time for new generations of young readers.”—BooksnStories

“Another home run for Hayes…As a gateway to reading comics, you can’t go wrong with giving Hayes’ books for TOON Books to a young, impressionable reader.”—Read About Comics

“The vocabulary is just right, featuring many of the sight words that kids in kindergarten and first grade are expected to know, and the softly colored cartoon format is appealing. The fact that it’s a collection makes it even more accessible—ambitious readers can tackle the whole thing at once; those just starting out can read one at a time…The format, vocabulary and art work well here to encourage kids to read on their own and have fun doing it.”—Kirkus Reviews

“Geoffrey Hayes, 2010 Geisel Award winner for Benny and Penny in the Big No-No!, is back with a new Toon Book featuring Patrick, a new character that beginning readers will love. But while the book and the characters might be new, the enjoyment that Hayes and Toon Books brings to young readers is exactly the same… Patrick’s personality is on display, not in what he says, but in his facial expressions, his puddle jumps, and his speedy movements… It’s the engaging characters and fun stories that will bring readers back for reread after reread.”—Help Readers Love Reading

“The characters are adorable…The clearly warm feeling between mother and son should be touching and reassuring to young readers.”—Comics Worth Reading

“Geoffrey Hayes, author of the award-winning Benny and Penny series of easy-reader graphic novels, has a knack for telling warm, funny stories that show an expert attention to the childhood details… Hayes’ soft colored pencil illustrations perfectly complement the cozy stories. As with Benny and Penny, Hayes balances out sweetness with humor and a nice sense of mischief. Unique lettering and word balloons help to convey the meaning and expression of certain phrases, making it a fun book to read aloud… The detailed yet clear illustrations also provide readers with a lot of additional information to pore over, so it stands up well to multiple re-readings.”—No Flying No Tights