Inspiring Young Readers

posted on 17 Sep 2026

Armchair Bear by Gavin Bishop

Uncle Norman is not a bear of action: in fact, it wouldn’t be going too far to say that when the book opens, he’s a model couch potato. He’s got his comfy chair, his cups of tea and his television and that’s pretty much what he does. Until, that is, his niece and nephew, Brenda and Bosco come rushing to see him and want him to play outside.

Reluctantly he hauls himself up and out but everything’s a bit of an effort and he just can’t keep up with the youngsters. He’s stung by the words of the young ones when he’s told ‘You used to be fun’ and so when he accidently comes across a gym advert, he decides to take up the challenge to become a new man.

“Do you huff and puff?

Had you had enough?

GET A NEW YOU!

At Apex Gym we’ll help you

Reach The Top!”

He takes up the challenge but it’s hard work! He’s just about to give up when he spots the awesome Gorilla Dilla lifting weights. That, Norman decides, is exactly the ‘new Norman’ he had in mind. And soon he’s lifting heavier and heavier weights, getting trim and getting a bit obsessed with it all.

“The new Uncle Norman could lift the biggest weights and run for hours on the treadmill without puffing. At home he wore the biggest smile.”

But can a bear be a gorilla? Is this really what Norman should be? Well, I’m going to leave you to find that out for yourselves when you buy your own copy.

The real appeal of this book for me is the excellent artwork from Gavin Bishop. Bishop is a leading Māori illustrator living in Christchurch, New Zealand. He has a long list of awards and has had over 70 publications distributed and translated worldwide. His style is bold and colourful and the illustrations are often big double-page spreads – and a word of appreciation must go to the publisher, Gecko Press, for producing a big generous edition that gives the drawings a perfect framing.

There are plenty of fathers, grandfathers and uncles who will see something of themselves in Norman when they sit down with their child(ren) to read this together – so there’s useful lessons to be learned from this armchair bear.

Available in October from Gecko Press, you will be able to get a copy from your local independent bookshop – who will be happy to order it for you if they don’t hve it on their shelves.

 

Terry Potter

September 2026