Published by Farrar, Straus & Giroux

Summary:  Ever have one of those dreams where you suddenly realize you’re only wearing your underwear (or worse)?  Jeff the bear’s about to leave his house, and he can’t figure out what’s wrong.  He ate breakfast, he watered  his plant, he took a bath, he tried on his gift from his grandma…. Readers will notice right away what the gift was, but off Jeff goes into the forest, where bug-eyed animals ask “Why is that bear wearing underwear?” as he walks away.  Jeff tries to move forward confidently, but can’t help feeling that something is amiss.  Finally, he goes to his best friend, Anders the rabbit, who tells him what’s up, then addresses all the animals in the forest about it.  A little reverse psychology takes care of everything, and Anders tells him, “Good friends are like good underwear, Jeff.  They’re reliable and they’re supportive.”  40 pages; ages 3-8.

Pros:  Put this book on display before a first grade class comes into the library, and if it’s still there when they’re lined up to leave, start checking for pulses. Would pair well with Who Wet My Pants? in a “bears in compromising positions” story hour.

Cons:  It’s like a nightmare come true.