Brett Helquist
HarperCollins (2010)
ISBN 9780060502058
Reviewed by Madison (age 4) and Hailey (age 2- ½) Schlarman and Mom for Reader Views (2/11)
It is winter and Bear is settling down for his hibernation. He is so very tired and yawning quite often. Just as Bear gets settled for bed, his friends come out to play. They ask Bear to come play since spring seems so far away. Bear refuses to play and so his friends go away though not for long. When Bear’s friends throw a snowball at his window, he growls and heads outside in anger. Just as he reaches the door a snowball hits him, splat! He screams “Let me sleep!” and then trips and tumbles down the hill. At the bottom, he laughs and finds the snow quite fun! As Bear and his friend explore all the fun you can have in the snow, Bear becomes quite sleepy. Soon his hibernation cannot be put off any longer. His friends bid him good night as he curls up for his long winter nap.
Madison’s Thoughts:
“The pictures are great! I liked it a little bit. The bear was too angry. He needs a time out.
He was yawning, his friends came in and said ‘bear come on out!’ But he said no and growled and tried to bite them; but they ran away too fast. They said ‘Why not Bear?’ Bear was angry because they threw a snowball at his window. He yelled at his friend and his friend threw a snowball at Bear. It hit him on the head. He says ‘Get out of my yard’ and trips and falls into a snowball. He started to laugh and do it over, over, over and over again. They made a snow bear. Bear made a snow bear. His friends made a little snow guy. He yelled ‘Ta-Da!’ They knocked over the snowman and threw snowballs at big mean old bear. They sled one more time but are tired. Yawn! Goodnight!
I think other kids will like it. I didn’t like when he was mean. I liked the playing with friends part, but I didn’t like when he was mean.”
Hailey’s Thoughts:
“I want you to read it to me again!
The bear yawns. The bear goes to sleep and the friends say ‘bear wake up! I want you to play with me.’ But he was asleep. He growled and closed his eyes and went to sleep. Grrr get away from me, get away from me he growled. And then he hears his friends laughing, they say come play! Bear got snow on his face; he slips down and falls down the hill. He laughs! It was fun! They do it again. That bear makes a snow man. They played, they have fun; they slide down the hill and then its time for bed for bear.
I like it. I want you to read it again.”
Mom’s thoughts:
“Bedtime for Bear” was super cute! I really enjoyed reading it with my girls. Madison seemed to really not enjoy the mean bear but chose to read the book often. I was surprised when she said she only liked it a little. Hailey shocked me with how verbal she was with this story. She truly loves hearing it again and again. The illustrations are wonderful, the story is wonderful and it was very enjoyable to read with my daughters. Overall it gave us quality reading time together because everyone enjoys the book and we are able to discuss many issues while reading it. We were able to talk about why you should be nice to your friends, ways to be pleasant even if you are grumpy or tired and gain fun ideas of things to do with snow. I was also able to talk about why bears sleep all winter. They were interested because of the story. I would definitely recommend this cute book to other parents. “Bedtime for Bear” is wonderful for children 3-6 years of age.
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