It was “read this picture book today” day. And that book was Just Being Ted by Lisa Sheehan. The story is simple enough, with a large dragon, who goes by the name of Ted, being our main man, er dragon. They love their home, and all the wonderful things they can do in it. But they would also like to make some friends. However, even when they bring gifts, or even cake, everyone hollers, “Eek! Dragon! Run Away!” (Or some variation of that) and runs away. Just when Ted things all hope is lost, Ted sees an ad for the Bear Picnic The nice salesclerk at Ted’s favorite art store tells him (when asked if they think Ted would be welcomed), no, it is only for bears. But that will not stop our Ted! They decide on a sneaky plan! They will make a bear suit and come anyway. But will Ted be happy when they are not being their true self?
The idea of accepting people who do not look like or act like us is an old theme. But it is done in a goofy, fun manner in Just Being Ted. This lighthearted manner allows a serious subject to be a bit less intense by humorous events (Ted sneezes so hard they burn their costume). Overall, the book is fun, relatively short, but can keep the attention of various ages and adaptable to multiple levels of reading and listening.
The illustrations are also done by Sheehan. They are matching the text with a lighter, bright, happier bounce to the details and colors. Things are busy but not necessarily crowded. They might look a smidgen on the younger side, but are not “babyish.”
