Bear has a terrible cold. In fact, Bear is quite sure that no one has ever been as sick as he is. So when Mouse comes tap, tap, tapping on his front door eager to make Bear "as good as new" by reading a sunny story, singing a rousing chorus and plinking a twangy tune on her banjo, the pitifully coughing Bear - growing weaker by the minute - is convinced that his tiny friend does not appreciate the gravity of the situation. Can there be any saving Bear from his certain demise? Welcome the world's most lovable curmudgeon and his endearing, unstoppable sidekick in a wry new comedy sure to have even red-eyed, sniffly-nosed readers rolling with laughter.
The body language of the characters conveys a huge emotional range. Whether readers are fans of this homey pair or new to the dynamic duo's doings, they will delight in the childlike repartee and comfortable friendship.
—School Library Journal
Bear's comic sad-sack histrionics, couched in his formal phraseology, and the contrast with Mouse's perky attempts at assistance deliver bear-sized portions of humor. Kids won't have to be sniffly themselves to appreciate the sickroom drama, but it could also lighten the burden of those sentenced to whining and high Kleenex use.
—Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books
