Jazz Novel: The Bear Comes Home

[conn53victor]

I work as a paraeducator (aide) with special education at a high school. I took a student to the school library for his second visit ever. He checks out graphic novels, usually Marvel. As he scanned the shelves, I used the card catalog on my phone to look up the keyword "jazz" — what else would I search for? There were 37 hits. One thumbnail cover looked like a young child's picture book, "The Bear Comes Home" by Rafi Zabor. The catalog entry said adult interest level, 400 pages. I had to investigate. Wow! A shambling brown bear dances on New York streets, then accompanies his man back to a depressing apartment where he grabs beer, collapses into a chair, and says, “I can’t do this **** much longer.”

That night, the Bear puts on bulky clothes, grabs his sax, and goes to a club to jam with Lester Bowie.







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Jim Calkins
IA City
‎"Rooty toot bop pattern. Rooty toot blues lick. Rooty toot Miles quote. Rooty toot mistake- all my solos." -Dmitri Matheny

1963 Connstellation