The New Bear on the Block is about the adventures of a tiny grizzly bear who moves to a small town in the woods. Through a series of silly mishaps that occur as a result of his poor vision when his glasses are accidentally broken, the bear’s new neighbors decide to ostracize him for his perceived rude behavior. A wise turtle (the town optician), who meets the bear and finds him to be a delightful new friend, must correct the false perceptions of his fellow neighbors. In doing so, he educates them about avoiding impulsive judgment of others based on erroneous first impressions and incomplete facts.

This book was written for children in pre-kindergarten through second grade. It has also successfully been used by older children and adults to facilitate discussions on tolerance at home, in the classroom, or in the workplace.