Suzanne Bloom is the author and illustrator of A Splendid Friend, Indeed, which we reviewed and was selected as a Theodor Seuss Geisel Honor Book by the American Library Association. It challenged kids to tell their friends how much they like them. The same characters of Bear and Goose appear in this snappy read-aloud book about friendship.
Here's the scene: Bear and Goose are having a grand time together when Fox appears and wants to play with them. Except that he suggests different games which exclude Bear for being too big, old, and grumpy. When Bear stomps off, Goose has to make a decision on what to do about this development. The spiritual message here is that acting from the heart means we cannot exclude others but must learn to expand the circle of our fellow-feeling.
