** The Alligator's Mouth Award 2024 - Longlist **
 
Bear and Bird: The Picnic and Other Stories written & illustrated by Jarvis
 
Bear didn’t really like the painting. I mean, look at it. But he liked Bird a lot, and it would remind him of her…Bear and Bird are best friends! And while they don’t always understand each other, they both agree: all they want is to make the other happy.

So, when Bear forgets to pack for a picnic (but pretends that he didn’t), Bird doesn’t let on that she knew all along. And when Bird discovers that Bear has more of a certain talent than she does, well, Bear finds a touching way to make her feel better... Full of funny mix-ups and comic misunderstandings, as well as genuine warmth and affection, these four stories are the start of an irresistibly charming new chapter book series from award-winning creator Jarvis.