Fiction Books - Page 3

Bear Snores On

Karma Wilson

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 95 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

Editorial Review:

On a cold windy night, an itty-bitty mouse "pitter-pat, tip-toe, creep-crawls" into a sleeping bear's cozy lair, looking for relief from the bitter winter weather. Soon he is joined by a veritable menagerie of woodland animals, and the party begins. Popping corn, brewing tea, tweeting, and chatting, the critters enjoy themselves thoroughly while the bear slumbers through it all. Until, that is, an errant pepper flake from the simmering stew wakes him up with a giant sneeze. As the bear goes from ferocious snarls and rumbles to pitiful whimpers, his uninvited guests realize what the problem is.

You've snuck in my lair
and you've all had fun!
But me? I was sleeping
and...
I have had none!

Not to worry. Mouse knows just what to do.

First-time author Karma Wilson and artist Jane Chapman (illustrator of Phyllis Root's One Duck Stuck) have created a charming little tale of sharing and caring that will have readers of all ages cheering at the humorous finale. (Ages 3 to 7) --Emilie Coulter

Old Bear

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 4 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

Encourages Imagination 5 out of 5 stars.
9 of 10 people found this review helpful.

Reviewed by Cayden (age 4) and Max (age 2) Aures and Mom for Reader Views (8/08)

"Old Bear" is the story of a bear hibernating in the winter and dreaming that he is a cub again. He dreams of sleeping in a giant crocus, clouds raining blueberries, and all of the leaves being butterflies.

Max: "Bear sleeping."
Cayden: "He is hibernating because it is winter and that is what bears do when it snows."

Max: "Sleep in flower!"
Cayden: "That is a real big flower if it can hold that bear!"

Cayden: "Why is the sun made out of that flower? And look at all of those butterflies!"

Max: "Blueberries!"
Cayden: "I would like it if it rained blueberries! We like blueberries a lot!"

Cayden: "Why is everything yellow, brown and orange? I wouldn't like it if that was how everything looked."

Max: "Stars!"
Cayden: "They are all different colors in the sky!"

Cayden: "He woke up now and winter is done."

Cayden: "My favorite part was when it rained blueberries!"
Max: "Me too!"

Parent's comments:

"Old Bear" by Kevin Henkes is a creative book that encourages children to think outside of the box. My boys had a great time imagining a world where all of the leaves were butterflies, and where it rained blueberries! The illustrations in the book did an excellent job to complement the storyline and we really had a fun time being a part of "Old Bear's" dream sequence!

Editorial Review:

Snug and warm, curled and furry, Old Bear sleeps.

Red, orange, and brown leaves fly through the air, and it is snowing hard. Old Bear doesn't notice.

Old Bear is dreaming about being a cub again. He is dreaming about the beauty of the world. He is dreaming of everything he loves about the forest that is his home.

Turn the page and you will see!

The Berenstain Bears Forget Their Manners (First Time Books(R))

Stan Berenstain, Jan Berenstain

Amazon Price: $3.99 List Price: $3.99 Usually ships in 24 hours By: Random House Books for Young Readers Amazon Marketplace: 187 new & used starting at $0.01

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 14 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Say It's Not So! The Berenstain Bears Forget Their Manners? 5 out of 5 stars.
2 of 4 people found this review helpful.

In my opinion, this is THE BEST Berenstain Bears book we have read. It not only does a very good job describing what good manners are, but also why not having them is bad.

The book begins with the cubs displaying some downright familiar examples of bad manners. There is a lack of 'please' and 'thank you' and 'I'm sorry' which leads to the usual sort of familial squabbling. Seeing what's going on, Mama and Papa make a gentle attempt to push the family back on track; but nothing works until Mama creates a chart with a penalty scheme to help everyone 'remember' what appropriate behavior is.

The reaction to the chart is not all that surprising. Brother and Sister Bear think the penalties are unfair. Which is when they decide to undermine Mama's efforts by being so 'super polite' that she will get "fed up and call the whole thing off!" [Ha!] Of course, that doesn't work as we all know that Good Manners lead to harmony and happiness and that you can't really overdo it.

Five Stars. In my opinion this is as good as the Berenstain Bears books get. The message of Good Manners is important, the examples good, and the story is told at just the right level. Okay Read-Aloud.

Editorial Review:

"When Mama Bear's efforts to improve her family's manners are unsuccessful, she devises a Politeness Plan--a chart listing a chore as a penalty for each act of rudeness. Basic etiquette is presented in a practical way. Berenstain illustrations add humor and understanding."--School Library Journal.

The Berenstain Bears and the Trouble with Chores (Berenstain Bears)

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 8 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

Start a conversation with you child 5 out of 5 stars.
2 of 2 people found this review helpful.

I love all the Berenstein Bears books. They can provide a good starting point for a conversation with your child. Don't look to these books for answers on how to handle a problem. They aren't meant for that.
In this one, we see what happens when Mama gets tired of everyone else avoiding their chores, so she avoids hers, too. Once the others see what the house is like, they start to pitch in to help.
This book started a good discussion between me and my 7 year old about what chores are and why we should do them. We talked about Mama Bear's feelings when Papa and the cubs didn't do their chores. We also talked about what happened to the tree house when Mama quit doing her chores and how that made everyone else feel.
These are great books for reading anytime and are easy for my child to read alone and understand.

Editorial Review:

Papa Bear and the cubs are having some trouble with chores –– they don't want to do them! When they decide to take a break from cleaning, Mama Bear plays along. But what will happen when the mess builds up . . . and up . . . and up?

Ages 3 – 7

Little Bear Boxed Set: Little Bear, Father Bear Comes Home, and Little Bear's Visit

Else Holmelund Minarik

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 12 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

Underated 5 out of 5 stars.
1 of 1 people found this review helpful.

As far as good, clean, books for kids 2-6, thre are none better than the Little Bear series.

Wonderful stories all children should read 5 out of 5 stars.
1 of 1 people found this review helpful.

This is a set of books that is perfect for children to read. Innocent, heart warming, and charming, Little Bear is a series that your young child will love to read again and again. Also, if your child loves the Little Bear series as much as mine do, there are dvds of episodes from the tv show based on these books that they would love as well.

Every American Child Should Know These Books 5 out of 5 stars.
0 of 0 people found this review helpful.

I bought these books for my 4 month old daughter. We've already read them (just before bedtime) more than once. I grew up with these books and they bring back great memories of when I was younger. These books are great for bedtime with the real little ones, and perfect starters when they first start to read on their own. Every child should be familiar with these books. They are classics.

Editorial Review:

To celebrate Little Bear's thirty-fifth anniversary, three paperback editions in the series—Little Bear, Father Bear Comes Home, and Little Bear's Visit—have been slipcased in a boxed gift set for a whole new generation of children.

Winnie the Pooh 80th Anniversary Edition

A.A. Milne

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 17 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

a JOY to hold as well as READ 5 out of 5 stars.
9 of 9 people found this review helpful.

Before I bought this book I had read a few comments complaining about the color of the pages... somewhat yellowish in an almost but not quite parchmenty sort of way. Oh bother, said I, This is coloring my experience of the book. It's been in the back of my mind through every chapter, "Do I like this? Or do I not?" First let me say I love the brushed watercolors over the illustrations... I'm enthralled by the book jacket and the way the window is lit up by the colored version beneath on the actual cover... and the truth is I would have picked a slightly different page color -- but that's besides the point. It's still a lovely edition and my first grader certainly has no complaints.

On top of that, I'd forgotten how wonderful Pooh is. I'm so jaded by the Disney versions that invade every store and home (except mine) that I've spent a lot of time bypassing poor Pooh & Co altogether. We had recently revamped reading aloud here at home because books "written for first graders" were too mindless, books written at the reading level of Pooh today are written for an intellectual level of thought and humor that is beyond the first grader (A. A. Milne had an incredible gift for including all levels of maturity in these works) so our attempts there got tossed aside as my first grader played with his toes, fingers, hair and anything else he could reach because the books just weren't "keeping him." So I tallied up a new library budget and between Amazon and Abe Books did an overhaul... Pooh certainly is one that has hit the spot. The writing is more like how I would speak to my son, but the story is still appealing to the imagination of a first grader, the plot easily managed... so we've started each sit down with a couple of Milne poems and then followed it up with a chapter or two from this and The House At Pooh Corner Deluxe Edition thank the heavens for older books still in print! Do yourSELF the same favor, and while you're at it, toss out any of those Disney Pooh books... this will do so much more for your child's development.

Editorial Review:

Happy 80th birthday, Pooh! The Bear of Very Little Brain and his friends from the Hundred Acre Wood have delighted generations of readers since Winnie-the-Pooh was first published in 1926. This deluxe anniversary edition of Winnie-the-Pooh is the perfect way to celebrate the enduring popularity of A. A. Milne’s classic work. The interior features the unabridged text and Ernest H. Shepard’s charming illustrations in full color on cream-colored stock. The specially designed jacket sports gold ink and a die-cut window that reveals the full-color art on the case cover. It is an impressive package for new fans and collectors both. Three cheers for Pooh!

The Three Bears (Little Golden Book)

Golden Books

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 7 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Always A Classic 4 out of 5 stars.
2 of 2 people found this review helpful.

This book is now a new favorite on my 2 year old's list. He loves the story and now has it partially memorized, I think. He has learned the concepts of too hot, too cold, and just right; as well as big, medium, and small. Hopefully he is learning from this classic story not to repeat the fresh behavior of Goldilocks. I think the repetition and sequencing of events in this story are appealing to little minds. The only reason I gave this book 4 stars is because sometimes the picture on the page preceeds the story and it hinders the flow of ideas.

THE THREE BEARS ARE "JUST RIGHT!" 5 out of 5 stars.
1 of 1 people found this review helpful.

This book is a timeless, enduring children's classic. I have been reading this to my two year old granddaughter, Carolina Skye. Everytime I ask her to bring me a story to read to her, this is the one she chooses. She refers to it as "The Just Right Book!" This is because the baby bear's porridge, bed and chair are not too hot or to hard, but JUST RIGHT! She has been able to transfer this expression to many other situations...if I ask her if she likes something, she'll say, "It's Just Right!" She loves Goldilocks and the baby bear, but somehow thinks that her Grandmother & Grandfather are the MaMa & PaPa bear. Wonder where she got that idea? We only TALK for the characters every time we read it to her! This book truly is "JUST RIGHT!" Susan Boston September 9,08

Editorial Review:

Rob Hefferan’s whimsical artwork breathes new life into this family favorite. All children love to hear each bear say, “Who’s been sitting on my chair?” knowing that Goldilocks is about to be discovered upstairs!

Bear's First Christmas

Robert Kinerk

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 9 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

A sickly sweet Christmas lesson 4 out of 5 stars.
9 of 13 people found this review helpful.

Christmas is about sharing, and that's the lesson this book is trying to teach. A young bear is woken from his hibernation by the sound of Christmas songs, and on his way to find the source of the music, he runs into animals who are in need of help. As he helps them, both he and they learn the real meaning of Christmas: Sharing and giving selflessly is the source of Christmas happiness.

The art is very nice. When the story describes the bear listening for the music, the artist was able to recreate the scene perfectly. The children in the house singing carols are portrayed in rapturous joy and the tenderness of the bear is lovingly painted.

Despite the author's portrayal of bears as playful, happy, and helpful animals, I think this book is very enjoyable and appropriate for kids 2 and up. I don't think it's a good idea to portray bears like that since they are actually strong, wild animals which should not be approached, but so many other kids books portray them as cuddly, so I can't be too hard on Kinerk here.

What I can be hard on is the choice of font. The skinny, broken, scraggly font is hard to read. It is difficult to read ahead while reading aloud since the font needs deciphering. It took a couple readings before I could effectively read this aloud to my son.

One other problem for some parents is the omission of Christ and/or any other religious significance for the holiday. The Christmas tree is given an unnecessary significance, and the book has a heavy dose of naturalism. This may be a turn off for those parents who wish to teach their kids "the reason for the season".

All in all, the book is entertaining, well drawn, and has enough plot to be read over and over again. Naturally, the book only has a shelf-life of a month or two before the Christmas season is over, but the book's physical binding and size make it a keeper. 4 stars for an excellent book, but a point off for the font.

Editorial Review:

In the dark of winter, deep in the woods, a lone bear is awakened from his winter sleep by a soft and mysterious sound. Under the stars the bear finds his way step by step through the snowy forest, making friends along his route. Then the bear discovers a place in the woods that glows magically with something he and his friends could never have imagined -- their first Christmas.

Robert Kinerk's inspired story and Jim LaMarche's glimmering illustrations combine in a picture book that captures the joy and spirit of Christmas. Come along with bear and his friends and see the magical light of Bear's First Christmas.

Bear Feels Sick

Karma Wilson

Amazon Price: $11.55 List Price: $16.99 Usually ships in 24 hours By: Margaret K. McElderry Amazon Marketplace: 45 new & used starting at $6.80

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 22 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

A heartwarming tale about friendship 5 out of 5 stars.
1 of 1 people found this review helpful.

I have been reading the Bear books to my daughter since she was a toddler and we have many books in the series. In "Bear Feels Sick", dear old bear feels poorly and keeps sneezing and wheezing. When his woodland friends [rabbit, mouse, mole, crow etc] come to visit and call him to play, he says he is too sick to play. So what do Bear's friends do? They get together and try to make Bear feel better - collecting herbs, applying a cold compress, fixing him some nourishing soup etc. Soon, Bear is all better, and all ready to play - but finds his friends are now sick! What does Bear do?

This is a heartwarming tale about the value of friendship - sticking together and helping each other out during times of difficulty. As usual, the text is written in 'simple' language, perfect for preschoolers and the illustrations are full-color and simply beautiful. I would recommend all the books in the Bear series as they all have a heartwarming message and are wonderful for reading aloud. Bear and friends are such cute characters that little ones can relate to and you will have your child clamoring for more Bear and friends' adventures!

Editorial Review:

Bear is not feeling well at all; he is achy, sneezy, wheezy and sick and in no shape to go outside to play. Mole, Hare, Mouse and the rest of the gang try to make Bear feel as comfortable as possible in his cave. Under the care of his friends, Bear starts to get better but as soon as Bear is well, guess what happens? All of his friends get sick!

We're Going on a Bear Hunt

Michael Rosen

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 56 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

bear hunt in reverse 2 out of 5 stars.
1 of 3 people found this review helpful.

I loved this book and song as a child...so I thought that I would get it for my little one. Well it came and the pages are in reverse order and upside down...oh well.

Swishy Swashy Swishy Swashy 5 out of 5 stars.
0 of 0 people found this review helpful.

I can't imagine not having this in the board book version with my next child! I actually found my copy at Potterybarnkids and I was so excited and so was my child the first time we read it. It's simply so classic, it totally a read-a-loud story every page has some new exciting nature noise to sound out and the repetition is perfect for little ears. I started reading this to my daughter around 18mos and a year later she still loves it! A must for toddler libraries!

Editorial Review:

"We're going on a bear hunt. / We're going to catch a big one. / What a beautiful day! / We're not scared." So begins Michael Rosen's award-winning read-aloud romp We're Going on a Bear Hunt. In this lovely boxed gift edition illustrated by Helen Oxenbury, a small paperback version of the book is packaged with the softest, most fabulous little brown bear we've ever seen. Reenacting "Splash splosh! Splash splosh! Splash splosh!" across the river is much more fun with an actual bear on hand. (Ages 4 and older)