Overview
A bear-y cute adventure that speaks up for nature!
An IPPY-award winner and Green Earth Book Award nominee.
Oh, no! Art forgot her school lunch. Oakie the good-natured oak tree sets out on a mission to return it to her, only to make an unexpected friend along the way. Bear is in search of food, and Art’s lunch smells delicious!
When Art learns that Bear's woods were cut down, she draws up a plan to save the day. Along with her classmates, Art and Oakie inspire the community to start a wildlife reserve for all the animals who call the forest home. With its poignant allegory about habitat loss, Do You Speak Bear? is an imaginative and fun graphic novel for young readers that budding environmentalists and animal lovers of all ages will adore.
What makes the Art & Oakie Ask series unique is that each book is a nearly wordless. The vibrant comic book visuals tell the story. To read each book aloud, you and your little ones get to make up the story for yourself, so no matter your age or reading ability, you can speak up for nature with Art and Oakie!
Do You Speak Bear? is the second book in the series. For more Art and Oakie adventures, check out Do You Speak Tree? And stay tuned for Do You Speak Bee? — Coming soon!
Author Bio
Josh Oaktree (author) is the managing director and founder of Oak Tree Comics, an independent publisher where imagination meets environmentalism. His award-winning books for young and middle-grade readers include the Art & Oakie Ask series, Thorn the Unicorn, and The Weird Animal Hour. He holds his MFA in screenwriting from the American Film Institute. Originally from the Philadelphia area, Josh lives in sunny Los Angeles. Learn more about Josh and his books at joshoaktree.com.
Josiane Vlitos (illustrator) is from Prince Edward Island and has a background in Communication Design. Inspired by her English childhood of castles, forts, and beachcombing, her work features bright palettes, playful characters, and magical worlds. She aims to spark joy and positive change through themes of inclusion, sustainability, and self-love. When not illustrating, she’s reading, beachcombing, or daydreaming—usually with a biscuit in hand. Josiane lives in Charlottetown with her husband, daughter, and rabbit.
Amelia Xanthe Boscov (editor) is a Brooklyn-based film director, writer, and producer. Originally from outside of Philly, she received her BFA from NYU Tisch School of the Arts. In her work, she often focuses on stories that uplift and celebrate women and the LGBTQ community through a hopeful and often surreal lens. Her first experience with independent publishing was Did You Boscov Today?, a tribute book to her grandfather, which she co-wrote and co-edited with her cousins. As Oak Tree Comics' creative director, she helps bring Oak Tree Comics projects to life.
