Archive for the ‘Bears’ Category

Hibernation Station by Michelle Meadows

October 10, 2011 - 10:53 am No Comments

Children are fascinated by the fact that some animals go to sleep for the WHOLE winter. I liked this book because it not only mentions bears, but many other animals that hibernate that we may not think about. I love that this story rhymes and I think many children will also identify with some of these animals who are having a hard time going to sleep because it’s too dark or because they need a snack or a drink before they fall asleep.

Bear with Me by Max Kornell

September 25, 2011 - 10:36 pm No Comments

Owen’s parents bring home a surprise…a bear. Owen is certain he doesn’t want a bear and he’s even more certain when Gary (the bear) breaks his swing and doesn’t put the caps back on his markers. Things start to look up though when it turns out that Gary is very, very good at building with blocks. A very cute story about an unlikely friendship.

Me and You by Anthony Browne

July 28, 2011 - 4:40 pm No Comments

This is a modern take on Goldilocks and the Three Little Bears in an urban setting. The story of the bears and their walk while their porridge cools is told alongside the wordless story of a girl who gets lost and ends up at the Bears’ house. She tastes their porridge, sits in their chairs and sleeps in their beds, but the ending has a new little twist that will leave you smiling.

The Valentine Bears by Eve Bunting

February 3, 2011 - 12:34 pm No Comments

Mrs. Bear sets her alarm clock so she doesn’t sleep through Valentine’s Day again this year. She digs up the honeypot buried in the snow, sets out a bowl of crunchy dried beetles (Mr. Bear’s favorite) and gets out the Valentine cards she made in the summer. The hardest part is waking up Mr. Bear from his winter slumber. It turns out that Mr. Bear had been preparing for Valentine’s day, too. After sharing a special day together they settle into their den for the rest of the winter.

The Three Snow Bears by Jan Brett

January 11, 2011 - 11:08 am No Comments

This story is a fun twist on Goldilocks and the Three Bears. Aloo-ki loses her dog sled team on an ice floe and as she is trying to search for them she stumbles across the biggest igloo she has ever seen. It happens to be the igloo of three polars bears who just left to give their breakfast time to cool. The illustrations on the side give the child insight as to what is happening in other parts of the story and also helps the child make predictions…a great reading strategy that every child needs in their “reading toolbox.”

A Perfect Day for It by Jan Fearnley

January 10, 2011 - 11:30 am No Comments

We are taking a one day break from Jan Brett because so many of our friends across the country are having a snow day today. This seemed like the perfect book. Bear is headed up the mountain. Badger asks him why he is going up the mountain and he just replies “Because it’s the perfect day for it.” All of Bear’s friends think they know why he is going up the mountain. To get some honeycomb? To snowball someone? Looking for treasure? Your children will have a blast trying to figure out what bear is going to do once he gets to the top. (Hint: The cover of the book kind of gives it away.) 🙂

Berlioz the Bear by Jan Brett

January 7, 2011 - 9:58 am No Comments

Berlioz and his friends are due to play their instruments in the village square for a ball, but his bass has a weird buzzing sound in it and then their wagon gets stuck in a hole and the mule who is pulling it won’t budge. Various animals stop and try to help, but no one seems to be able to get that mule to go. Berlioz and his friends get their instruments ready so that once they get to the square (if they ever do) they will be ready. As Berlioz is tuning his instrument, out comes a bee (which was where all that buzzing was coming from), which stings the mule on his backside and off they go to the village square where they arrive just in time.

I’ve Seen Santa by David Bedford

December 25, 2010 - 9:14 pm No Comments

Big Bear, Mommy Bear and Little Bear decide to stay up and see Santa, but no one seems to be able to keep their eyes open long enough.

The Three Bears’ Christmas by Kathy Duval

December 15, 2010 - 9:30 pm No Comments

This is a spin on the Goldilocks version, but with no Goldilocks. The bears make some gingerbread cookies, but they are too hot, so they go for a walk on Christmas Eve while they wait for the cookies to cool off. Someone comes to their house, however, while they are out and eats their gingerbread. There are clues while they are on their walk that Santa is in the neighborhood as well as clues left around the house that point to Santa being the one who ate the cookies. This is a cute story that is also a good book to work with kids on making predicitons. I got this one at the library.

Who’s That Knocking on Christmas Eve? by Jan Brett

December 10, 2010 - 9:53 am No Comments

This book is another example of Jan Brett’s wonderful stories and incredible illustrations. The illustrations alone tell their own story and children quickly figure out that by looking at the pictures on one page, that they are getting a glimpse of what is going to happen later on in the story. In this book, Kyri is getting ready for a Christmas feast, but she is worried that the trolls who have often spoiled their Christmas dinner are going to come and raid their house again tonight. She ends up having a welcomed unexpected visitor, a boy from Finnmark and his ice bear. They are sampling some Christmas food when the trolls do invade, but what the trolls don’t see is the ice bear asleep under the wood stove. When the ice bear hears all of the commotion he springs out from under the stove and the trolls scurry away, but not without having made a huge mess in the meantime. Those trolls might not come back for years to come though now that they think Kyri has an ice bear living with her.