Book Review: Little Bear
Little Bear, by Else Holmelund Minarik, is a compilation of four stories about Little Bear and his mother. The writing and language are simple, just right for reading aloud at bedtime and for beginning readers to pick up and enjoy on their own. The book is illustrated by Maurice Sendak, author and illustrator of Where the Wild Things Are. It sounds so simple in premise, but what Minarik and Sendak create together is a classic that your children’s children will love and so will you.
The book opens with “What Will Little Bear Wear?” It’s snowing outside and Little Bear asks his mother for something warm to put on. She patiently makes him a hat, then a coat, and then snow pants. Still he is cold. She asks him if he’d like a fur coat too. He answer yes, and she takes away his snow clothes to reveal his fur coat. Little Bear plays in the snow, while Mother Bear watches, her body language radiating love.
It’s Little Bear’s birthday in “Birthday Soup,” the second story in the compilation. Little Bear can’t find his mother and thinks she has forgotten his birthday. He decides to make birthday soup. As he cooks, his friends Hen, Duck and Cat arrive one by one with birthday gifts. He invites them to stay for birthday soup. As they sit down to eat, Mother Bear comes in with a birthday cake and tells him that she did not forget his birthday, and never will. Again, Sendak’s illustration of Little Bear as he hugs Mother Bear’s dress and looks up as she gazes down while holding a lighted birthday cake is full of the love.
My favorite is “Little Bear Goes to the Moon,” in which Little Bear dons a space helmet (a box with wires) and goes to the moon. The banter between Mother Bear and Little Bear is priceless. And, again, love is the central theme as Little Bear the space traveler returns home and gets lunch and a big hug from Mother Bear.
The book ends with “Little Bear’s Wish.” Little Bear and Mother Bear end the day with bedtime stories. The book ends with Little Bear snuggled warm in bed, looking lovingly at Mother Bear as she says goodnight.
Ages: 2+
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