Traveling Bear and the Drive-Through Safari

Christian Hainsworth
Winning Kids, Inc. (2007)
ISBN 9781933547014
Reviewed by Leslie Granier and Nicholas Lopez (age 5) for Reader Views (12/07)

“Traveling Bear and the Drive-Through Safari” is the first book in a series that aims to teach children important life lessons.  In this story, a bear and some of his friends go on a safari and see many different animals.  Each of them is told to write down any questions he/she may have and save them until the end of the safari.  After the trip, Traveling Bear learns how to find the answers to his questions when a trainer in the park gives him a book about animals.

Nicholas was thrilled when the trainer told Traveling Bear about libraries because “I get books from the library too.”  (He is so proud to have a library card so he can check out books.)  He was a little disappointed that the answers to the bear’s questions were not given, so he decided he “needs to go get some animal books and teach myself.”  He liked the bright and colorful pages because they “make the book more fun to look at.”

“Traveling Bear and the Drive-Through Safari” is geared towards children between the ages of three and six.  It comes with a CD so the children can read along with the story and develop better reading skills.  There is a page at the end of the book that helps to show how much the child comprehended what he/she read and also emphasizes the main lesson of the story.  I thought it was good to teach kids how to find answers to their questions, but I also think it is important for kids to ask their questions in group settings so others can learn as well. 

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