This is a cute tale about a sweet bear, and his desire to 'grow up'. Young readers/listeners will identify with his desire to prove that he can do some things on his own, even if his parents don't think he's ready. While some moments run smoothly, troubles do come, and the meeting with the parents is heart-warming as well as offers a sense of security and safety.

Gugulu, The Little Bear Dares by Srividhya Lakshmanan is about a sloth family that lives in the forest of the Western Ghats. It is time for baby bear Gugulu to go to school. However, he wants to go off on his own. Mom and Dad don’t think this is a good idea, but Gugulu runs off without a care. He ends up in a lot of trouble and gets the fright of his life. Luckily with the help of a few good animals, Gugulu manages to get back unharmed. Gugulu has certainly learned his lesson and won’t be heading off again until he is ready.

Gugulu, The Little Bear Dares by Srividhya Lakshmanan is a sweet story that teaches young children not to go off on their own. Gugulu certainly didn’t listen to his parents and thought he was big and strong enough to wander ahead on the way to school. Due to this, he encountered many dangers but thankfully he could return to his parents safely. As is often the case with young children, they want to grow up too quickly and be independent of their parents without knowing the dangers of the world. This story serves as a good lesson to show them that it is better to stay with their parents until it is safe. I think this is a lovely story accompanied by beautiful illustrations by Akansha Krishnan.

The rhymes in the story make it more interesting to read, and the illustrations are beautifully endearing. The pictures of all of the animals in the back of the book with brief explanations about them make the story even more appealing. Gugulu’s daring nature will engage young readers and make them curious about just what he might do next.