Over the last year, on two separate occasions, I was able to meet the author (Maureen Wright) and illustrator (Will Hillenbrand) of my new favorite bear book: Sleep Big Bear Sleep. This rhyming book is a sweet story of a bear with a slight hearing problem; he can’t hear the whisper of old man winter who commands him to hibernate for the winter. Instead bear sweeps, drives a jeep, climbs a mountain steep and other follies as he gets sleepier and sleepier. Each time I read this story I am reminded of my very own bear, The Bee who may have red sleepy eyes but will clean her room, help with dishes and other things to avoid going to bed.
My other favorite Bear books:
Karma Wislon’s Bear series. Poor bear is awaken in mid winter, doesn’t feel well, can’t get enough to eat (my life story) and makes a new friend.
Bill Martin Jr and Eric Carle’s Brown Bear, Brown Bear What Do You See?
Love this book for teaching animal and colors.
Micheal Rosen’s We’re Going on a Bear Hunt.
Love to act this out! Can’t go under it! Can’t go over it!
A.A. Milne’s Winnie the Pooh.
Shocker: I sob each time Pooh tells Christopher Robin 5. “If you live to be 100, I hope I live to be 100 minus 1 day, so I never have to live without you.”
Don Freeman’s Corduroy
Of course this could be because of the fond memory of reading it with Arboo.
Happy Hunting!
-r
My 5 year old daughter came home singing Going on a Bear Hunt the other day! It is a cute song, but I didn’t know it was a book! I will have to go look for it now!
You’ll love it! Helen Oxenbury illustrates and it’s so much fun!