"A wordless picturebook with hand-drawn illustrations on recycled materials, telling the story of a playfully magical encounter between a boy and a bear. "
April 2026 Debut of the Month
The Polar Bear Day is the latest entry I’ve seen from the world of wordless picturebooks, a form I am always excited to see new examples of. Such books are perfectly placed to encourage visual literacy and analysis of images, provide a space for active storytelling, and support the development of children’s literacy at all ages in an inclusive and creative way.
This title, originally published in Korea as Knock Knock, is no exception. We meet a little boy whose quiet day at home is enlivened by the arrival of a large, playful polar bear, thus continuing the great literary tradition of ‘large animal plus household chaos’ pioneered by Judith Kerr and her tea-drinking tiger. The pair spends the day forging a friendship and playing together (and hiding the bear from mum!), before saying their goodbyes on a moonlit beach as the bear reunites with its companion. There are shades of Maurice Sendak at play here, as the everyday becomes an otherworldly adventure.
What makes The Polar Bear Day particularly memorable is the artwork, which is hand-drawn onto discarded cardboard by author-illustrator Jihee and incorporates pencil, paint, and mixed media collage, therefore centring sustainability into the book’s production – the medium is the message, especially when viewed alongside our charismatic polar protagonist. A thought-provoking and enchanting book to spend time with.
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Knock knock! A young boy opens his door to find a surprising visitor: a playful polar bear!
Boy and bear spend the day together -- dancing, sneaking snacks and hiding from mum -- until, too soon, it's time for the polar bear to return home. But the boy's ordinary day has been transformed by an unexpected new friend who has helped him see the world in an exciting new way.
The Polar Bear Day is a striking, wordless picture book with characterful illustrations painted directly onto old cardboard boxes, turning rubbish into something beautiful. Park Jihee's unique artwork will captivate readers while also conveying a gentle message about the importance of caring for our endangered environment.
The LoveReading4Kids Editorial Team have read and reviewed The Polar Bear Day and determined it is suitable for children aged 5-8 years old
The Polar Bear Day features in the following genres: Featured Books for 5+ readers, Featured Books for 7+ readers, Debuts of the Month, Recommendations, Fantasy / Magical, The Natural World, Ecological and Environmental Interest - Non Fiction, Personal Social Health Economic (PSHE), Picture storybooks, Children’s / Teenage general interest: Bears, Children’s / Teenage fiction: Magical realism / Magical fantasy, Children’s / Teenage: Social issues / topics, Children’s, Teenage and Educational, Children’s picture books, Children’s: picture books, activity books, early learning concepts, Children’s / Teenage general interest: Large land mammals, Children’s / Teenage general interest: Mammals, Children’s / Teenage: General interest, Children's and Young Adult Fiction
The Polar Bear Day is available in Hardback
The Polar Bear Day was written by Park Jihee and published by Floris Books
The Polar Bear Day has 36 pages
£11.69
