I received an advance reader copy of this book to read in exchange for an honest review via netgalley and the publishers.

Hiro, Winter and Marshmallows is a cute story about how friendships can begin even in the most unlikeliest of ways, and not everything that's different is scary. Hiro is a young bear and longs to go outside during hibernation and meet winter. His family has warned him against it, and one night, he slips out to explore in this season (when he should be hibernating). He comes across a group of children having a party and roasting marshmallows over a fire. When he approaches, they run away in fear, all except one child. The child strikes up a conversation with the bear, and they both learn they have much in common with each other despite being very different. The illustrations are soft and beautiful, and the ending put a smile on my face.

The latest evidence for the case that books get translated with the urgency that their quality demands, this was six years in the wait to get turned into English. It concerns a bear who breaks away from her hibernating family, tramples about, discovers a hoard of people having a marshmallow party around a fire, and scares the lot away – all except one brave lad. The moral might be that opposites can, if not attract, at least get along, or it might be based on the bravery the bear has in leaving her home in the grip of winter and that the boy shares in approaching the bear. But whatever you make of it all I don't think you have a great deal of pleasure from this – the story is lacking, the artwork features some odd choices (one frame has a papa bear in flashback seemingly sitting at a dining table with a safe door on his lap), and it lacks something else. I don't want to demand the bear be cutesy, but there is a likeableness that is absent here, and the philosophical tone of Hiro the bear's natter to the human kid is just a further sign that this could have engaged more, with more warmth.

Don’t worry about the little kids meeting up with bears in the wild! Parents will not tell them to do so!

So enjoy this cute little story with the kid!

Hiro the young bear is just too curious about the outside world and is out by herself. She meets a little kid and makes friends with them. Read this story for the cute interactions between them and the lovely illustrations!

Thank you, Eerdmans Publishing for the Young Readers, for the ARC.

Thank you for the ARC. I love the illustration! This story is about a curious bear wandering through the forest during winter. I wish the bear's adventures could delve deeper into what happens in the forest during this season.

The illustrations were great. The story itself was cute but a little choppy and heavily worded. My younger child enjoyed it but the elementary aged kid was bored.

Two rather adventurous beings meet in the woods in winter and become friends while roasting marshmallows. Lovely story!
Translated by Vineet Lal.
The simple illustrations by the author are bold yet comfortably colored, and fun.
Well suited for reading alone or WITH someone of any age including ESL, and great for gifting to anyone, but especially to a school, or your public library!
I requested and received a free temporary digital advance review copy on Adobe Digital Editions from Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company via NetGalley. Thank you!
#HiroWinterandMarshmallows #NetGalley #EerdmansBooksForYoungReaders

Hiro, Winter, and Marshmallows is such a delightful, cozy read. I loved following Hiro and Emile as they got to know each other and found comfort in their similarities.

The art style was adorable and the book's design kept me engaged. The writing was beautiful and thoughtful for a children's book, something that I don't see often! Overall, a cute little story that will surely have you cozied up by the fire.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

One of my most favorite books I have read on NetGalley,
It's so simple but just glorious.
I loved the encounter of Hiro with Emil and how two unlikely friends were formed.
I felt Hiro was so relatable and sweet, just an awesome character to introduce to your kids.
The illustrations are magical, and this whole book feels so whimsical.
A perfect winter read!

Overall, a cute and solid story, but I think that the plot lacks substance. What I mean by that is there isn't a whole lot going on. There's a good story idea here and it is definitely shown throughout the book, but a lot of spice could have been added to make the story more engaging. For example, not rushing through events and not leaving out different sensory setting details. Adding these details and slowing the story down a bit would help readers savor the book more, and would ultimately make for a more enjoyable reading experience.
Other than that, though, I found the illustrations to be very beautiful, and the story at its core was quite sweet and heartwarming. Lastly, the ending makes this book an absolutely perfect candidate for a bedtime story for little ones, any time of the year.

I received an arc of this title from NetGalley for an honest review. It is a cute story about a bear who doesn't want to hibernate and sets out on an adventure. Great rhyming words and illustrations, too.

The book was beautifully written. The illustrations are beautiful and keep the eye moving. Overall, the book was well written and I did really enjoy it.

This storybook is an immediate five stars. Hiro is enchanting. As soon as we finished, my son made me read it again. I have a feeling we will be reading this quite frequently. This is an adorable story about a curious little bear who is too bored to hibernate so she takes herself on a little adventure. She meets Émile, and the two become fast friends and trade stories. We loved everything about this storybook.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced copy of this book. We will be impatiently awaiting the release of the book so we can add it to our bookshelf!

Hiro and Émile , a little girl bear and a small boy, make a friendship while they eat marshmallows discussing about life.
Beautiful picture book for children about friendship with accepting the difference.
Thanks to Net Galley for the opportunity to read this exciting book!

Such a darling book! I was so excited to see how this would end. My four kids loved the pictures, the story, and wanted to read it over and over again. Highly recommend!

4.2 "a great big teddy girlbear and a sweet little boy" stars !!

Thank you to Netgalley, the author/illustrator and translator as well as Wm. B. Eardmans Publishing Company. This was originally published in Belgium (in French) in 2018 and will be released in September 2024 in English.

Hiro the young girl bear is tired of hibernating and is hungry and so curious about Winter. She loves the snow and meets a giggly sweet little boy named Emile. Marshmallows and philosophical conversation make them fast friends. So cozy and adorable that I shed a tear or two of my own. Nicely illustrated and charming prose. Suitable for children four to eight.

Hiro, Winter and Marshmallows is a sweet picture book about a bear who can't sleep and is curious about winter. Schneider's unique illustrations add a special charm to the story. I found the two spreads without text at the campfire hilarious!