Sneezy Bear
Neil Griffin, illustrated by Janet Louden
Bear is hungry, but he can’t stop sneezing! Will food ever be within his reach?  You may well be ‘blown away’ by this charming story of a hungry bear with a bout of uncontrollable sneezing. Will Bear be able to overcome his irritation or will it aid him in his quest for food? Be prepared for an earth shattering tale with an explosive ending! A cute cuddly story for all bear lovers with a simple storyline and child friendly language. Age 3-5
Issues/Topic areas: Bears, mini-beasts
 
Pages: 28, Format: Paperback, Size: 9x10 ins,
 
Review
"Poor Sneezy Bear - his tummy is rumbling and he is SO hungry, but everytime he spots something tasty to eat, he sneezes - with disastrous consequences. But there is a happy, if sticky ending for Bear, at least. Oh dear ... oh dear, dear ... oh dear, dear, dear ... The simple storyline makes this an easy story for children to follow and it is wonderful for reading out loud - your child will just love to join in. The story is brought to life by the vivid illustrations of Janette Louden, absolutely full of action and fun. 
- parentsintouch.co.uk 
 
Review
"At the beginning of 'Sneezy Bear', we meet Bear who is enjoying a soak in the river. Although he would be happy to luxuriate in the water all day, he starts to feel hungry so decides that he needs to go in search of some food. First he spots some tasty looking salmon but just as he is about to grab one, he lets out an almighty sneeze that causes a huge splash which allows all of the fish to escape. Next he spots a cherry tree, but before he can taste the juicy fruit, he sneezes yet again and the cherries explode everywhere leaving nothing to eat. This is the way that the story continues with Bear spotting lots of delicious edible things but always sneezing before he gets to eat them.
 
Eventually he discovers a bee hive and again starts sneezing in a big way. Although he becomes splattered with honey, this turns out not to be a problem, as he just starts licking his fur and finally has the feast that he has been longing for - much to the annoyance of the bees! 
 
'Sneezy Bear' is a lovely simple story that I am sure that most small children will enjoy. My daughter loved the fact that every time the bear thought that he was about to enjoy a meal, he sneezed instead, causing all sorts of mayhem. Of course, you do not appreciate the full extent of the story from the words alone as it is the very funny illustrations that really tell the tale of what is happening. From these you can see the explosive damage each time Bear sneezes as well as sympathising with his upset looks every time he misses out on a tasty meal. All of the pictures are very bright and attractive and have little details worth looking out for such as the ladybird who appears on every page and could well be the cause of Bear's problems. 

The text is interesting too. The print is big and bold with not too many words on any page. Some words that need to be emphasised are bigger and every time that Bear sneezes, the word 'Atishoo' appears in very big letters almost dancing and jumping over the page. There is also some repetition in the text which will help younger children join in with some of the story telling. The author, Neil Griffiths, uses some very tempting words too, particularly when Bear is looking forward to the various meals, describing them as 'yummy', 'scrummy' and 'stickerly delicious'. 

'Sneezy Bear' is not a very long book but it is very enjoyable. It is a fun story accompanied by many amusing illustrations. It is a book that should be shared and one that both children and parents can 
enjoy. 4/5 Stars 
- bookbag.co.uk