Bear-y Tales

For Storytime at Miramar this week I pulled out an old theme and ready-made powerpoint.  This is a theme that I have used several times before at three different libraries and it is always popular.  The rhymes and songs are simple and there are always plenty of picture books about bears no matter where you are.  It is an easy "last minute" theme.  Each time I present this story time I have used a different set of books, based on what was available and it has worked every time.  This time around, one of my favorites (Don't Wake the up the Bear by Marjorie Dennis Murray) on the other hand I stumbled upon a new bear book that I fell in love with (and so did the kids!)  We discussed winter and hibernation and even why bears sleep in caves...I had a very interactive and curious group of eight in my storytime audience.  We sang "Bear is Sleeping" (Tune: "Frere Jacques") and did several fingerplays and action rhymes and made our own bear puppet (pasting bear parts onto a toilet paper roll).

Here are today's books and a couple of favorite bear stories that I have read in the past:

Bear Snores On by Karma Wilson
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Originally I read this on 1/24/11 as part of the original  "Bear-y Tales" theme story time .  Kids loved the fact that the bear slept through animals gathering in his cave for a party...especially the surprise ending. With humorous illustrations and a wonderful rhyming text, one by one animals wander into bear's cave to get out of the cold, and bear sleeps right through each arrival.  Animals pop popcorn, brew tea and the cave turns into quite a party spot - and bear sleeps on.  It is actually not the noise or the smell of food that wakes bear, but a pepper flake that causes bear to wake with a great big sneeze.  My storytime audience created great snoring sound effects whenever I read the refrain, "Bear snored on" and we all had a great time.   We followed this book with the song, "Bear is Sleeping" and it was very effective.


I Want My Hat Back by Jon Klassen
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
We meet Bear when his little red pointy hat goes missing and he sets out to find it.  The text is mostly dialog, as Bear asks animal after animal if anyone has seen his hat.  There are two colors used in the text so it is easy to distinguish who says what.  I warned my audience that they should help Bear find his hat, because the reader does find out where the hat is on page four or five...but bear doesn't realize he has seen his hat until much nearer the end. My audience rose to the challenge and loved this book...well, except one little boy who thought Bear looked "A little creepy."  This is an award winning children's book and it shows.


About a Bear by Holly Surplice
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
You will fall in love with Bear! This book is beautifully illustrated and filled with all sorts of wondrous images. The rhyming text is simple, and is quite a good introduction to emotions as we see a bear who is glad, and bear when he is sad. He is even puzzled when he encounters a small turtle. My storytime audience became quite engaged with this book, describing what "puzzled" meant and laughing at Bear and turtle and the other fun Bear has with his friends. A wonderful read-aloud book.

Polar Bear, Polar Bear, What Do You Hear? by Bill Martin Jr.
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
There is something comforting about reading a wonderful book which follows a predictable formula, especially when it illustrated with Eric Carle's wonderful collages and Bill Martin's chain of animals. A storytime audience knows how this story plays out and has great fun anticipating the next animal in the sequence, and in this case, making its sound. Polar Bear hears a lion, and the kids have great fun providing the roar. The hippo and flamingo, were a bit harder but my audience managed to come up with creative and funny sounds. This book is a reminder to all of us who present story times that classic picture books will almost always hit the mark with a storytime audience.

Jamberry by Bruce Degen
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Originally read 1/24/11 as part of "Bear-y Tales" theme. A Boy and his friend Bear go hunting for Berries. Lots of great rhyming for literacy development. Used fingerplays, "Bears eat Honey" and "Little Bear,"along with story.

Don't Wake Up the Bear! by Marjorie Dennis Murray
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Bear is asleep in his cave, a wonderfully inviting big bear who was soft and warm...and one by one animals are driven into Bear's cave by the cold and snow. Hare arrives first, then badger. As each new animal arrives, they receive a welcome and then a warning,"but don't wake up the bear!" My storytime audience loved saying this phrase each time a new animal arrived. They also loved the big, beautiful illustrations.

My Little Polar Bear by Claudia Rueda
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
This is a beautifully illustrated book with simple text filled with love. Little Polar Bear asks questions which his mother answers with patience and love.