A totally friendship-based Valentines Day book about the quirky things that happen when an introvert and extrovert are friends.

Bear lives next to duck, who is compelled to always spend time with bear and insists on doing everything together. I especially appreciated the long-suffering responses from Bear. ( )

That 'odd couple' pair of friends, Bear and Duck, who first appeared in author Jory John and illustrator Benji Davies' Goodnight Already!, return in this hilarious follow-up, as Duck attempts to rouse his ursine friend from a day of solitude, and get him to go on a walk with him. Unfortunately for Duck, Bear had been looking forward to a day by himself, and doesn't react with great enthusiasm to his anatine friend's many conversational forays. When Duck is injured (entirely through his own peskiness), Bear must step in and smooth his hurt feelings and ruffled feathers, assuring his friend that he does indeed love him (already)!

Like its predecessor, I Love You Already! pairs an amusing dialogue-based text - it's really just a series of exchanges between the two friends - with colorful and humorously appealing illustrations. Having seen the earlier book performed many times to great effect by a pair of storytellers, I would hazard a guess that this one too would make an excellent read-aloud selection, especially if the performers really get into their parts! The artwork adds to the hilarity here - I particularly liked the opening scene, in which Duck is reading a book about taking walks with bears, while sitting next to his "I Love Bear" mug, as Bear himself celebrates being alone! Recommended to anyone who enjoyed the first book about Bear and Duck, or to anyone searching for humorous picture-books. ( )

introvert bear and extrovert duck; we are different and like different things, but we can still like each other. ( )

"I Love You Already" by Jory John and Benji Davies is a story about how some friendships can start off rocky, but in the end can develop into a family like bond. In the story, the main character "Bear" just wanted to have a peaceful, relaxing day. He hears a knock at the door and it is his neighbor "Duck." As soon as Bear opens the door, Duck starts bombarding him with all of these activities he wants to do with Bear, but Bear refuses and says "no" to every idea Duck has. Bear leaves his house and goes to be alone and when Duck comes over to Bear he startles him, and Bear accidentally makes Duck fall from the tree. He feels very bad after this and Duck gets sad because he feels that Bear doesn't even like him. After the accident Bear embraces Duck though and they become great friends. An extension activity would be to have students draw a picture of themselves with their best friends doing their favorite activity together. Another activity would be to have the class make a "good character" chart and come up with ideas for the teacher to write on the chart about the characteristics of what makes a good friend. ( )