Play that horn, Bear
Describing a book as 'quirky' is usally a horrible thing to do, but it's apropos in this case. Rafi Zabor has created a central character - a nobly-descended bear who plays the sax, quotes Shakespeare and doesn't mind the odd drink - who's also deeply human. There's the usual furry-fish-out-of-water tales you'd expect from a book of this type (possibly similar to Bakis' Lives Of The Monster Dogs) but also an unexpectedly touching love story.
Look for the appearance of jazz legends within.