Book Review: Bingo the Banjo Picking Bear by Author Jay Miller

Bingo the Banjo Picking Bear is the first children's book written by author Jay Miller. As you flip through the pages, you can see why he's continued to write more children's books with his flair for writing the kind of books that captivate children and keep their attention from beginning to end. Bingo the Banjo Picking Bear is the first book in Jay Miller's "All God's Critters Toddler Series." His other two books which I have also done a review of are Sal and Sally and Opal, Herby and Squeaky.

"When Bingo was a bear cub, he use to sing and dance, and he would shake a leg, like he had ants in his pants" is the first attention-grabbing line in the story Bingo the Banjo Picking Bear. I read that one line to my grandsons and my seven-year-old grandson started dancing and shaking around like he had ants in his own pants. He was laughing and acting so silly that he had me laughing too.

Bingo is a bear who loved listening to his ole bald grandpa play the banjo and sorely wants a banjo of his own so he could sing and dance all day long. One day he is fishing at the old fishing hole and he catches a small fish. The fish asks Bingo to let him go and if he does, he'll grant him one wish. Bingo makes a wish for a banjo but since fish can't really grant wishes, his wish doesn't come true... or so Bingo thinks. Years pass and Bingo forgot all about the wish he made. Then one day Bingo and his grandpa are out fishing and run into that little fish that has since grown into a really big fish. The fish says to Bingo "hey where have you been. I granted you your wish. You're banjo's over on the bank; I left it there for you...." Then Bingo happily learned how to play his banjo and his ole grandpa in heaven was happy for him too.

Included at the end of the story are several songs that you and your child can sing together. The songs are Little Angler's Prayer, Picking for Jesus, Banjo Pickin, Banjo Pickin at the Bayou, and Banjo Yoodleing.

The book, Bingo the Banjo Picking Bear, promotes family values and the family relationship along with a relationship with Jesus. It's a subtle Jesus message, no overpowering preaching here plus it's also a lot of fun to read and the cute illustrations are sure to please any child (and adult!).

The Amazon website lists the reading level of Bingo the Banjo Picking Bear as 9 to 12 years old but I would actually say it is more for younger readers about 5 to 8 years old instead. My 9 year old grandson wasn't interested but my 4 and 7 year old grandsons liked the book a lot.

Bingo the Banjo Picking Bear

By Jay Miller; illustrated by Bobbi Switzer

Paperback, Outskirts Press, 2007

40 pages

ISBN-10: 1432707396

ISBN-13: 978-1432707392

$14.95