Nearly half a century has passed since Little Bear and his barnyard friends were introduced in a series of small hardback books designed to bridge the gap between traditional picture books and chapter books. With the originals still readily available, it is difficult for a newer, paperback series illustrated by David Wenzel to avoid comparison with the older classics. Else Holmelund Minarik's story of Little Bear's discovery of a four-leaf clover charms with its imaginative twists, although the language of the original books seemed simpler and more accessible to the very early reader. It is Wenzel's illustrations, perfectly competent watercolors, that disappoint, however. Despite their resemblance to the characters, Wenzel's Little Bear and friends pale beside Maurice Sendak's delightful ink and wash drawings. The fact that the series is titled "Maurice Sendak's Little Bear" merely reinforces the unequal contrast. 2004, HarperCollins Publishers, Ages 4 to 7.