Humphrey's Bear by Jan Wahl

Illustrated by William Joyce. 32 p., Holt, 1987. Humphrey sleeps with a bear who wears a sailor suit. The bear had belonged to his father when he was a child. Humphrey overhears his father questioning whether he's too old to sleep with the bear. He snuggles the bear close, goes to sleep, and dreams a sailing adventure with the bear. He wakes up yelling for the bear. His father hands it to him, remembering the sailing dreams he had as a child with the bear. Although he doesn't say so, it's clear that it's OK with him now that Humphrey sleeps with the bear. This story gives children encouragement to accept their needs to keep a comforting object, even if that seems immature to others. Ages 4-7