The true story behind it
This one comes straight from my family. My great-aunt, the one we called Punchi Achchi, kept a very old handwritten book of home remedies, the natural mixtures many Sri Lankan households once relied on and passed down. I was fascinated by it as a boy.
My father’s side has a healing story too. My grandfather on my father’s side treated injured animals, and his younger brother, a respected physician, wrote out his cures in Sinhala verse. That book was never found. So when I sat down to write, I gave Bramble the bear an old recipe from his grandfather and a forest full of sniffling animals to help.
What happens in the story
Bramble, a big brown bear with tiny glasses, helps sick animals in the forest, and lately many have coughs and sniffles. He found an old medicine recipe in his grandpa’s book, but it needs three hard-to-find things: mint with purple tips that grows only by cold streams, red berries from the top of the tallest tree, and white clay deep in the ground.
The mint won’t grow because the stream is too warm. So Dino turns his feet icy blue and freezes the water, and Kitty’s wind cools it further, and up comes the mint. For the berries, Kitty raises steps around the trunk of the tallest tree, and Dino wraps them in strong vines. For the clay, Kitty opens the ground like a flower.
Back at Bramble’s hut, Dino warms the pot, Kitty’s little wind stirs it, and Bramble adds honey so it tastes good. The next day, the rabbits, squirrels and birds are well again and back to playing.
Looking for a children’s book about bears?
Most bears in picture books are either scary or sleepy. Bramble is the forest’s gentle helper, a bear with tiny glasses who looks after everyone else when they’re unwell.
It’s a lovely pick for the kid who likes to take care of people, or who’s home with a cold and needs a cozy story. The ending is all about the animals feeling better.
Look inside
Flip through the opening pages of the book.
Questions to ask after reading
A few questions for the minute after the book closes. There are no wrong answers.
- The mint needed cold water to grow. How did Kitty and Dino make the stream colder?
- Bramble helps animals who are sick. Who takes care of you when you’re sick?
- If you made a magic medicine, what would you put in it?
Perfect for
- ✓ Kids who love helping and caring for others
- ✓ Talking about kindness and teamwork
- ✓ Little ones who like nature, plants and gentle adventure
- ✓ A cozy autumn bedtime read
Quick answers
A cozy story about caring for others
One short story. One kind bear and a forest to heal. Ready for tonight.
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