Jean, an adorable 5 year-old boy, relates his daily life and little adventures with his sour-tempered teacher Madame Moinot, his busy dad, his nanny Yvette (the Queen of iced chocolate), his little brother Paul (with whom he's always fighting) and his neighbor Michele (whose parents own a kennel). But Jean feels a great emptiness inside and asks 'Where is my Mommy?' With sensitivity and emotion, but never lapsing into melodrama, Bravo and Regnaud tell their story and remind us that children are not the only ones who would rather invent than deal with reality.

With winter fast approaching, one of the squat bears sets off to trade the family cow for bread and butter, returning instead with a single magic bean. But one bean isn't enough to feed even one squat bear, let alone seven! As their hunger - and the snow - sets in, the bears are visited by a smooth-talking cat in boots. He's got a bag full of bread and a few tricks up his sleeve. Can he help satiate the squat bears' hunger?