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Summary
Summary
A clever tale that will charm book lovers
Brother Hugo can't return his library book -- the letters of St. Augustine -- because, it turns out, the precious book has been devoured by a bear! Instructed by the abbot to borrow another monastery's copy and create a replacement, the hapless monk painstakingly crafts a new book, copying it letter by letter and line by line. But when he sets off to return the borrowed copy, he finds himself trailed by his hungry new friend. Once a bear has a taste of letters, it appears, he's rarely satisfied!
Brother Hugo and the Bear is loosely based on a note found in a twelfth-century manuscript -- and largely on the creative imaginings of author Katy Beebe. Lavishly illustrated by S. D. Schindler in the style of medieval manuscripts, this humorous tale is sure to delight readers who have acquired their own taste for books.
Author Notes
Katy Beebe teaches history at University of Texas at Arlington and has a doctorate in Medieval History from the University of Oxford. She spent many years studying the kinds of medieval manuscripts that Brother Hugo might have made.
S.D. Schindler is an award-winning illustrator of many bestselling picture books, including Come to the Castle! (Flash Point), The Story of Salt (Putnam Juvenile), and Big Pumpkin (Aladdin). He lives in Pennsylvania.
Reviews (5)
Publisher's Weekly Review
"It befell that on the first day of Lent, Brother Hugo could not return his library book." In a medieval twist on the homework-eating dog, Brother Hugo confesses to his abbot that a bear has eaten his borrowed copy of St. Augustine's letters. The abbot instructs Brother Hugo to retrieve a copy of the book from a neighboring monastery and create a new version-hand-written, illuminated, and bound. This process forms the heart of debut author Beebe's how-it's-done story as Hugo's fellow monks aid in his efforts. The capital letters of each paragraph are meticulously illuminated in ink and wash by Schindler (Spike and Ike Take a Hike) with small vignettes and ornaments. Beebe's period prose is believable and at times funny (Brother Hugo "knew that once a bear has a taste of letters, his love of books grows much the more"), and Schindler's Bruegelesque landscapes deepen the medieval atmosphere. Depending on readers' temperaments, they'll either laugh or despair at the ending, in which all of Hugo's hard work comes to naught. Ages 5-9. (Apr.) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.
Horn Book Review
When a bear eats the collection of St. Augustine's letters that Brother Hugo had borrowed from the monastery library, the abbot makes him create a new one. Inspired by a note on a twelfth-century manuscript, this humorous tale is lavishly illustrated with watercolor and ink in the style of medieval illuminated manuscripts. The sophisticated vocabulary and erudite topic necessitate the helpful back matter. Glos. (c) Copyright 2014. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Booklist Review
Set in a medieval monastery, Beebe's story opens with Brother Hugo explaining that he cannot return his library book, because it was eaten by a bear. The abbot bids him to borrow a copy of the same book from the neighboring Grande Chartreuse monastery, make an illuminated reproduction, and then return the borrowed volume. With help from the other monks, Brother Hugo does as he is told, but on his return trip to Grande Chartreuse, he encounters the same bear, who eats the borrowed book, as well. Loosely based on a note in a twelfth-century manuscript, the story has a few elements, such as the final sentence (Your library book is due today), that sound more modern than medieval. Still, the gentle, amusing story offers a bit of adventure, as well as tells how medieval monks went about making their treasured books. Schindler's beautiful ink-and-watercolor illustrations use decorative elements reminiscent of illuminated manuscripts to suggest the period, while portraying the characters as distinct individuals with expressive faces, and landscapes that sometimes resemble those in medieval books of hours. A historical note and glossary conclude this handsome picture book with an unusual setting.--Phelan, Carolyn Copyright 2014 Booklist
School Library Journal Review
K-Gr 3-Brother Hugo can't return his library book, the letters of Saint Augustine, because a hungry bear has devoured them. The abbot instructs him to make penance by journeying to Chartreuse to acquire the letters and painstakingly recopy them for the library. Brother Hugo does so with the help of his friends but runs across the bear again on his return back to the monastery. The language and description of medieval bookmaking give opportunity for discussion on historical context. The audio version is well read by Gildart Jackson. Music accompanies the narration and adds to the medieval feel. However, pauses in the music between pages are choppy. The story is whimsical and brief but requires the visual clues of the illustrations for the youngest listeners. A second track includes page-turn signals. -VERDICT Best suited for listening while the book is being displayed. Purchase to add variety to the read-aloud experience. ["Combines suspense, humor, and information in a handsome, entertaining package": SLJ 5/14 starred review of the Eerdmans book.]-Rebecca Flannery, Memorial Elementary School, East Hampton, CT © Copyright 2016. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Kirkus Review
Prepare to be charmed by a bear who loves wordsor at least loves to eat them. Brother Hugo cannot return his book to the library of the monastery: A bear has consumed it. Enjoined to go to another priory to borrow a volume that he might copy to replace what the bear ate, he finds the bear follows him, snuffling hungrily. All his brother monks help him to prepare the parchment, make the inks, sew the pages and bind it shut. They even supply him with scraps of text to toss to the bear as Brother Hugo attempts to return the book he had copied. This does not work out, exactly. The rhythm of the text is antique but lucid and sweet, and the pictures, festooned with curlicues and decorated in shades of gold, gray and brown, echo the manuscript illuminations that inspired them. Rich backmatter gives all the historical background without detracting from the essential spark of the tale. The author, who holds a Ph.D. in medieval history, was inspired by a line from the 12th-century abbot Peter the Venerable about a precious volume eaten by a bear to make this lively story. This accurate (if abbreviated) delineation of the process of medieval manuscript bookmaking shines thanks to the fey twist of ursine longing for the written word. (glossary, author's note, illustrator's note) (Picture book. 5-9)]] Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
