Unbearable by Amy Winfield, Illustrated by Thiago Neumann

Intriguingly wise and emotionally nuanced, Unbearable by Amy Winfield is the surreal story of a lost young camper befriending a curmudgeonly bear – one who can somehow talk, drive, cook, and even debate semantics. Whether the bear is educating Brandon about the danger of stereotypes, saving his life with plant medicine, or begrudgingly becoming his loyal companion, Smokey retains a clever sass that is both sarcastic and smart. Underlaid with lessons about personal responsibility, unfair prejudices, anger issues, self-reliance, bullying, and compassion, this witty and well-conceived short novel is heartfelt, original, and wholly entertaining.