When young Masha ventures out into the forest to pick berries to feed her family, she gets lost. A friendly bear finds her and welcomes her into his home. Masha is grateful for his help, but the bear wants her to stay there forever to cook and clean for him. Will Masha be able to ever get back to her family? AGES: 6+ AUTHOR: Lari Don was born in Chile and brought up in Scotland. She has worked in politics and for the BBC, but now spends her time passing on old stories and making up new ones. She is a traditional storyteller, as well as an awardwinning children's author, whose love of myths, legends and fables inspires her fiction. Lari lives in Edinburgh with her family, and has also written Little Red Riding Hood and the first two titles in the Animal Stories series for Barefoot Books. Melanie Williamson draws her pictures in a cozy studio in Manchester, UK and loves all things bright and quirky. She has also illustrated The Tortoise's Gift and Never Trust a Tiger, the first two titles in the Animal Stories series, for Barefoot Books. SELLING POINTS: * Education Market: Carefully chosen vocabulary and simple sentences, combined with vibrant and fun illustrations, ease emerging readers into the world of chapter books. * Multicultural Series: Traditional tale from Russia, retold for young audiences by popular Scottish storyteller Lari Don, joins other Animal Stories books from around the world * Girl Appeal: Clever protagonist Masha's triumph over her big bad bear captor will resonate with young female readers. Colour illustrations