A magical, lyrical story by Oren Lavie, perfectly illustrated by Wolf Erlbruch.

Once upon a time there was an Itch. And shortly after the once-upon-a-time, the Itch spotted a tree and began to have a good scratch. And then something very curious happened: the Itch began to grow. And a minute later, fur began to cover the Itch. Arms and legs grew out of the fur, and a nose. It wasn’t long before the Itch looked just like a Bear. And here he is: the Bear who wasn’t there just a moment ago. In his pocket he finds a note with a question written on it: »Are you me?« Good question, he thinks to himself, let’s find out! So he wanders off into the Fabulous Forest…

Adults as well as children will love Oren Lavie’s bear and his enchanting and wise story with its unforgettable pictures by Wolf Erlbruch.

Oren Lavie
born in Tel Aviv in 1976, is a composer, musician and theatre playwright. For his debut album The Opposite Side of the Sea (2007), Lavie received the prestigious ASCAP Foundation Sammy Cahn Award for lyricists. Oren Lavie lives in Tel Aviv. The Bear who wasn’t there is his first book.