There are LOTS of great children's Books About Bears. Bears are awfully lovable, soft and fuzzy, and have enough human-like characteristics to make them relatable for children. We started this week focusing only on teddy bears, but quickly realized that some of the best bears were not specifically of the teddy variety. Here's what we enjoyed reading this week as part of our Bear Theme Weekly Home Preschool.
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The Complete Tales of Winnie-the-Pooh by A.A. Milne
Pooh is the best of all the bears. Winnie-the-Pooh is, without a doubt, the most called upon character for imaginative play in our house. We've read the stories many times, both the original versions, by A.A. Milne, and many Disney-fied story books as well. He is just so darn lovable. The original stories are a bit wordy and sometimes require some adult explanations, but the language is charming enough to make up for it.
A Bear Called Paddington by Michael Bond
Paddintgon is the second best of all the bears, and I expect that he will make a popular resurgence with his new fancy movie coming out soon. The Paddington books (and there are many of them) are excellent choices for early chapter books. My 4 year old LOVES them, and my 2 year old can understand the stories easily, though she misses some of the humor. The language is more easily accessible than that of Winnie-the-Pooh, so in some ways these are easier to read. Different bears for different folks, I guess.
Corduroy by Don Freeman
Sweet little Corduroy! There's something about those overalls that makes children want to love on him. Maggie asked Santa for a 'soft brown teddy bear' for Christmas this year, and I think that she was going for Corduroy! Maybe I need to whip up some overalls for him. The Corduroy books are a great choice if you're looking for short, sweet stories. Toddlers and preschoolers will love them!
"Berenstain Bears" by Stan and Jan Berenstain
We own LOTS of "Berenstain Bears" books. Each one perfectly and gently teaches a lesson or moral that children can really relate to. The Bear family seems so normal and they face problems that almost every family faces. Among many others, there are stories about cleaning up rooms, dealing with a babysitter, making good food choices, and welcoming a new baby. They also have a lovely price tag (around $4 each, and cheaper if you buy them as part of a collection) so I often pick one up if I'm looking for reinforcement in teaching a particular lesson. They are longer than most picture books, though, so I recommend them for preschool aged children and older.
We're Going on a Bear Hunt by Michael Rosen
We're Going on a Bear Hunt is an absolute classic that needs to be on your children's shelves. The story of a family going out on an adventurous bear hunt through all types of terrain captures the imaginations of all children. We used to modify the (somewhat scary) ending where the family actually finds a bear which starts chasing them, but now our kids are old enough to not be spooked by it. The illustrations by Helen Oxenbury are absolutely delightful and are full of small details that your kids can pour over.
Little Bear by Elsa Holmelund Minarik
The Little Bear stories are perfect for early readers. The text is just a bit repetitive, to help children learn new words and learn the structure of a story. Little Bear is sweet, these stories are simple, and the characters are nice and wholesome! Little Bear is a good choice for older toddlers, preschoolers, or early readers.
Bear Snores On by Karma Wilson
There are several adorable books in this "Bear" series but this one is our favorite. Bear Snores On is about Bear, who is hibernating, and sleeps through a party in his den. When he finally wakes up, all the guests are tired and ready to snooze. The cute and clever rhyming text makes this a charming little story! Bear Snores On is suitable for older toddlers, preschoolers, and elementary aged children.
Polar Bear Night by Lauren Thompson
In this sweet story, a baby polar bears goes out exploring his arctic environment in the night time. The geometric, crisp illustrations use a beautiful color scheme that perfectly captures the snowy nighttime. The little polar bear explores for a bit and then heads home to his warm and snugly den. The simple language and story, along with the bold illustrations make this a good choice for babies and toddlers.
Polar Bear Morning by Lauren Thompson
Polar Bear Morning is the followup to Polar Bear Night and, while not quite as good, does manage to capture some the the same charm of the original. In this story, the baby polar bear explores his arctic home in the day time, this time with a little friend. If your child liked Polar Bear Night, this would be a good addition to your library.
The Teddy Bears' Picnic by Jimmy Kennedy, illustrations by Alexandra Day
There are lots of versions of this story/song, but the illustrations in this one are my favorite. The Teddy Bear's Picnic is a classic children's song, and I think these illustrations capture it in the best, most child-like way. It shows two children who do, indeed, dress in disguise to go and see the bears' picnic. I recommend this book for older toddlers and preschoolers.
Orange Pear Apple Bear by Emily Gravett
This is a classic book with soft, attractive watercolor pictures. There is no real story, but the book repeats the words 'orange, pear, apple, and bear' in different configurations that go along with clever illustrations. This book is best suited for babies or young toddlers.
Baby Bear Sees Blue by Ashley Wolff
This book is so appealing! The colors are bright, the illustrations are cute but strong, and the story is perfect for babies and young toddlers. A little bear explores the world with his mama, asking about things and noticing the different colors in his world. Lovely!
The Three Snow Bears by Jan Brett
The Three Snow Bears is a clever arctic adaptation of the story of Goldilocks and the three bears. While the three snow bears go out to hunt, a young girl visits their very large cave and ends up falling asleep. It was great fun to see the classic story adapted in this way, and I watched my girls faces as I turned the pages to see when they would get it. As always, Jan Brett's illustrations are fantastic. The detail is remarkable and provides TONS for kids to look at while you read.
Mary Engelbreit's Nursery Tales by Mary Engelbreit
I'm including this book of Nursery Tales in my bear book review list because it contains our favorite version of Goldilocks and the Three Bears. There are lots of collections of nursery tales out there, but I'm telling you that this one is the best. We have read the stories in this book hundreds and hundreds of times. Mary Engelbreit's illustrations and versions of classic children's nursery tales are absolutely perfect. They're each about 6 pages long, with beautiful and bright illustrations. The book is big and sturdy, with quality thick pages and printing. This book, along with it's companions (Mother Goose and Fairy Tales) makes a fantastic gift for any baby, toddler, or preschooler.
To see more activities for children about bears, follow the Cutting Tiny Bites Bear Theme board on Pinterest!
You May Also Be Interested In:
Fuzzy Bear Craft
Backyard Teddy Bear Picnic from Crafty Kids At Home
Feed The Bear Alphabet Activity from Mom Inspired Life
Make Your Own "Brown Bear, Brown Bear" Book from Frugal Fun For Boys And Girls
From Other Great Bloggers:
Rainbow Counting Bear Discovery Bottle from Preschool InspirationsBackyard Teddy Bear Picnic from Crafty Kids At Home
Feed The Bear Alphabet Activity from Mom Inspired Life
Make Your Own "Brown Bear, Brown Bear" Book from Frugal Fun For Boys And Girls
