The Ring Bear — David Michael Slater

Full of warmth and gentle humor, this is the story of Westley, an imaginative, precocious boy, and his struggle with the intrusion of an unwanted new stepdad into the happy, comfortable family he and his mother have formed. When Westley's mother announces her engagement to Stan and asks Westley to be the “ring bear,” he feels confused, frustrated, and anxious about his changing family situation and his role in the wedding ceremony. Engaging his imagination, he envisions himself as a rascally bear who will wreak havoc during the ceremony and act out his mixed feelings about his mother and Stan. When his stepdad realizes the importance of Westley's imaginary world, he reveals his own sense of humor and fun by planning a special wedding treat for Westley that helps him transform himself into a willing ring bearer and stepson.