• HOME
• Articles
• Links
• Contact Us
• About Us

For story hour at the library last week, the theme was bears. The children pretended to be bears getting ready to hibernate, and the teacher had them look for food, find a nice warm cave and curl up. Of course, there were big bear snores and lots of yawning and stretching. Since its the time of year when lots of animals prepare for winter, I thought bears would be a good theme for this week's book list. We have most of these in our personal library--I didn't realize how many bear-themed books there were. I didn't even include such superstar bears as the Berenstein Bears, Winnie the Pooh and Paddington. There's something appealing about bears--their size, the shaggy coats, their intelligence. I suppose that's why they've found such a solid place in children's literature.

Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See? by Bill Martin Jr., Eric Carle (Illustrator) - This is a fun read-aloud book illustrated by Mr. Carle of Hungry Caterpillar fame. The series of animals that parade through the pages are enjoyable for preschoolers to identify and older elementary kids can read the text easily. Also by the same author are Polar Bear, Polar Bear What Do You See? and Panda Bear, Panda Bear, What Do You See?

We're Going on a Bear Hunt by Michael Rosen and Helen Oxenbury - Everyone knows this classic game, and this version is just as fun with amazing illustrations that bring the adventure to life. You simply must do the actions along with your children as you read this one together.

Bear Snores On by Karma Wilson and Jane Chapman - This is one of our personal favorites. With a big sleepy bear and his animal friends, this one is the perfect one to read when talking about winter hibernation. The easy, lyrical rhymes are a pleasure to read. Wilson has also written a few more Bear books, so look for those at your bookstore or library.

The Little Mouse, the Red Ripe Strawberry, and the Big Hungry Bear by Audrey Wood - Although the bear never actually makes an appearance in this book, the anticipation of his arrival is enough to create a delicious predicament for the little mouse. Fun illustrations bring you right into a mouse-sized world.

Jesse Bear, What Will You Wear? by Nancy White Carlstrom and Bruce Degen - A classic Jesse Bear book that is perfect for beginning and middle readers. There are many books in the Jesse Bear series, so don't stop at this one.

Teddy Bear, Teddy Bear: A Classic Action Rhyme by Michael Hague - The familiar chant is presented here along with sweet illustrations. This is a good one to incorporate into a jump rope or hand clapping rhyme.

15 Minute Moment
On a frosty morning, spend a few minutes doodling on the window pane. Write your names and draw funny characters.