Bear Wants More by Karma Wilson

Illustrated by Jane Chapman. Margaret K. McElderry, New York, 2003.
Hardcover edition, 40 pages, ISBN 0-689-84509-X.

Poor Bear awakes from his winter nap with a very empty tummy. One by one, his woodland friends, Mouse, Hare, and Badger lead him to strawberries, fresh clover and a great fishing spot, "...but he still wants more!" Back at his winter den, more friends are cooking up a delicious springtime surprise party, but Bear has gotten so big from all his eating that he gets stuck trying to get in his own front door. The party moves outside to accommodate Bear, and after he gobbles up all the treats himself and falls asleep with a tummy which is finally "full, full, full", his friends find that they, too, "want more".

Chapman's delightful characters sit on the cover with hands clasped before their mouths and eyebrows raised in wistful anticipation of the feast to come inside. She fills the large format pages with expressive close-ups backed by springtime shades of the forest, making this an easy book to show around to a large group. The text is large and widely spaced with no more than four rhyming lines per page.

Great for a toddler storyhour about bears or springtime. The recurring line in the rhyme, "but bear wants more", can be shouted out by the audience.

A sequel to Wilson and Chapman's award winning, Bear Snores On.

Assists in vocabulary building with less familiar animals such as badger, gopher, mole, and a hare instead of a rabbit. Large text spread across pages creates print awareness as the words move left to right. Rhyming verses enhance phonological awareness.

The Three Bears by Paul Galdone

Clarion Books, New York, 2000.
Hardcover edition, 32 pages, ISBN 978-0-395-28811-5.

This version of the classic folktale is easy to dramatize. The differences in font size beg that the narrator use different voices for describing items belonging to the baby, mama and papa bears. The book format is slightly larger so that most of the pictures can easily be enjoyed by a group, but can be a little long for the youngest attention span if not read in a vivid and striking manner. After reading, I sometimes feel compelled to ask children how they feel regarding the appropriateness of Goldilocks's behavior.

Activity: In a classroom setting, or small group, children can take turns acting out the roles of Goldilocks and the three bears with a few props.

We're Going on a Bear Hunt by Michael Rosen

Illustrated by Helen Oxenbury. Margaret K. McElderry Publishing, New York, 2009.
Hardcover edition, 40 pages, ISBN 978-1416987116.

     Hunting bears requires bravado. Rosen's intrepid family faces obstacles: tall, wavy grass ("Swishy, swashy!"), a deep, cold river ("Splash, splosh!"), thick, oozy mud ("Squelch, squerch!"). With the inevitable encounter, panic ensues, reversing the hazards of the outward journey. Oxenbury's simple black and white line drawings and light watercolors capture the high adventure experienced by the characters. This classic is most fun when chanted aloud using exaggerated movements for group dramatization.

Great for getting the wiggles out, ages 2-4.

Onomatopoeia increases phonological awareness, and an understanding of narrative skills is strengthened as the story moves forward and in reverse.

1989   Smarties Book Prize Gold Award  
1990   Boston Globe-Horn Book Award
1990   Horn Book Fanfare Title
1990   Society of School Librarians International Honor Book Award
1991   Japanese Picture Book Award