Little Bear (An I Can Read Book)

I really liked another book in the same series, so I purchased this book. This story is just weird. It's about how a kiss is supposed to get from grandma bear to Little Bear, but somehow gets lost along the way. The premise is fine, but the development of the story is odd.

This book was not the original! It was a reprint/knock-off and words were missing. I had to write in a chapter title and finish a statement. What's up with that? It looked cheap and it was disappointing!

Let me start by saying I love this book. I grew up with little bear books; they were among my favorite. They are simple, easy-to-read, fun stories. That is, when you can actually see the words. As another reviewer has noted, the binding on the hardcover edition obscures words on a few of the pages, making it near impossible to read. I find it very frustrating that this problem was overlooked and these books continue to be sold. And it isn't just one copy that I'm returning. I bought one of these, noticed the terrible binding job, and requested a replacement only to discover that the replacement had the same problem. I purchase hardcover books because I expect them to be higher quality and for them to last longer than paperbacks. I am very disappointed in this edition of Little Bear. So, this is a heads up to anyone wanting to buy the hardcover edition.

I purchased a copy of the hard bound version for my grandson. When it arrived I found the book was bound like a rebound book. Maybe a quarter inch or so of the inside of the pages were "lost" in the binding.

Not all that much was lost. Maybe a letter here and there or a portion of an illustration. There was one page near the back, however, where every first letter of the lines on that page were obscured. You or I could could pretty easily figure out what was missing. But for a beginning reader? Not what you want.

I sent that book back as defective and requested a replacement which arrived today with the same problem...

My one star is to draw attention to the edition that the store is presently selling, not for the contents of the book which is five star stuff.

I recently read this book with my son. In many ways it was like a trip down memory lane. I remember reading these books with my youngest brother. I also remember watching the animated series with my oldest when she was young. My son and I read this book alternating pages. And we would read a chapter or two a day. He loved the stories. And we have read the book through twice now, and will likely read it many times more.

Both the author and illustrator of this book had very prolific output during their careers. And they died just a few months apart. I know that we have read many books illustrated by Maurice Sendak, and his illustrations are wonderful. But after read this one we will need to track down some of the 40 plus books that Else wrote. There is something so compelling about simple fun stories that my son loves. And love this book he did. This volume has 4 shorter stories:

What Will Little Bear Wear?
Birthday Soup
Little Bear Goes to the Moon
Little Bear's Wish

These books are geared to readers 4-8 years of age. At 8 my son could read the whole book but loves sharing stories. But to be honest even as an adult there is something really enjoyable in these stories.

This is a great little read for the young and the young at heart. My son really loved this book. It was one of 6 in a box set he got for reading 10 days this summer. It was really interesting watching how excited he was with the story and the illustrations. And I can give it 2 thumbs up!

My son seems to have fallen in love with the Little Bear Books. There was one in a box set we purchased last year and since that time he has bought himself a few more and read the rest from the library. But of all the little bear books this is the one he picks up most often to read, after as an extra after doing our normal reading for the day. But my son has shown no interest in other books by Else Holmelund Minarik when I have pointed them out at the library or the book store.

Unlike book 1 in this series this is a single story. As opposed to four separate stories each in their own chapter. But we also meet so many other characters that are not in the other stories. My son loves that the kiss keeps getting passed back and forth until it gets from Grandma to Little Bear. He also loved that Hen said no to a return kiss because it is so complicated. But the kiss does lead to a wedding and Little Bear and all his friends get dressed up for the occasion.

Any book that my children like to read over and over again is a winner in my books, especially since we are now at the point where my son can read this whole book to be. The little bear stories are really fun. These books are geared for young readers ages 4-8 buy can be enjoyed by younger and older readers. In fact I have read this even with my tween and she thought the story was fun.

The illustrations by Sendak are amazing and my son loves going over them again and again. They are good wholesome stories. I can really appreciate the sentiment in these books. I remember having read these book to my youngest brother many year ago and they are just as entertaining today.

A wonderful book in a great series!

Our family is split down the middle on this one.

Pros:
1. Cute, completely age-appropriate stories. Little Bear has quite the imagination on him (from going to the moon to making a birthday soup), and Mother Bear is very creative (and caring) in how she handles/teaches Little Bear.
2. As a child, I absolutely adored these stories.
3. A great level-1-ish reading book with great introductory-level vocabulary

Cons:
1. While I LOVED these stories growing up, none of these stories seem to hold my kids' attention. I think more modern stories (similar reading level) just have a much, MUCH higher ratio of pictures to text. Here, while the pictures are cute, there's a lot more story to get through.

I think that this will be a great book once my toddlers/kids are older, but there are other "I Can Read" books that hold my kids' attention much better (from Digger the Dinosaur, which I'm less of a fan of, to Pete the Cat and Wild Kratts). I still love it, I just think that my kids are (perhaps unfortunately) used to more pictures per story :(

Little Bear is the first in a series by Else Minarik which has sold over six million copies and has been adopted for television. It’s also one of my favorite picture books from childhood. Why the enduring popularity for these stories? For me, it’s because of the loving relationship which exists between Little Bear and Mother Bear, and the playful nature of the tales about them.

The blurb on the publisher’s site reads: “Meet Little Bear, a friend to millions of children. And meet Mother Bear, who is there whenever Little Bear needs her.” The latter statement is what I want to examine here. Little Bear contains four stories, all of which prove this statement.
* In the first, Little Bear sees the snow and decides he’s cold. He tells his mother that he wants to put something on. No matter how many times Little Bear returns from his play to make this statement, Mother Bear patiently makes something for him.
* In the second, Little Bear mistakenly thinks his mother has left him on his birthday. He decides to make birthday soup and invite over friends, all on his own. When Mother Bear returns from preparing a birthday surprise, she tenderly reassures Little Bear, “I never did forget your birthday and never will.”
* In the third, Little Bear decides to travel to the moon. Mother Bear wisely points out this is impossible but she also doesn’t deter him. When he sets off with his space helmet to fly like the birds, Mother Bear just calmly tells him, “Be back for lunch.”
* And finally the fourth is all about wishes. Little Bear has some extravagant ones such as finding a Viking boat or meeting a princess. Mother Bear never acts hurt over his desire to have more than she can offer. Instead she simply waits until he asks for one which she can grant.
While we all enjoy books like Cat in the Hat and Where the Wild Things Are where life is more topsy-turvy, we also all need those books which reassure us that in the end our parents will always be there and always give us love.

My other reason for enjoying Little Bear is the playful nature of its four tales. Sometimes this comes through in Minarik’s style. In “What Will Little Bear Wear?” Minarik relies on repetition of certain ideas: It’s cold; Little Bear wants something to put on; Mother Bear makes something for Little Bear to wear; Now he won’t be cold! Just as with memory games, where one keeps adding new things to the list, so Little Bears keeps piling on the clothes until he’s wearing a hat, a coat, snow pants…. Minarik also relies on whimsical twists. When Little Bear asks for a fur coat, Mother Bear removes all his outdoor clothes and points out, “There is the fur coat.”

Other times the playful nature of the four stories comes through in the imagination of Minarik’s characters. In “Little Bear goes to the Moon,” Little Bear thinks that maybe birds can fly to the moon and that maybe he can fly like a bird. Then he climbs to the top of tree at the top of a hill, shuts his eyes, and jumps. When he lands, instead of being disappointed, he decides that the moon looks a lot like earth. This story too has a whimsical twist, one which I’ll leave you to discover. Little Bear’s Wish makes for a perfect way to end the book. In it, Little Bear imagines all these elaborate wishes, including flying on a cloud and tunneling to China, none of which of course he can have. What Mother Bear can give him, what all children truly want, is a bedtime story. She fills his with reminisces about all the actual adventures Little Bear once had, before wishing him good night.

Little Bear is simply told enough that young readers will be able to independently read the stories. They’re also so beautiful and touching that even as an adult, I enjoy snuggling into bed and reading through them again. Long live Little Bear!

A Kiss for Little Bear is a charming story about a young bear who draws a picture for is grandmother. Not surprisingly at all, this picture looks like one of the monsters from "Were the Wild Things Are." Little Bear has his friend Hen deliver the picture to Grandmother Bear. She is so delighted with the drawing that she sends Hen back to Little Bear with a kiss for him. The simple kiss gets passed on, friend to friend ("telephone style") until it finally gets to Little Bear. Little Bear ask Hen to take a kiss back to Grandmother Bear. But Hen refuses because "kisses get all mixed up." In the end, the girl and boy skunk get married, because they enjoyed the kissing. It is all very sweet and innocent.

My copy is 40 years old. I remember my mother reading this to me. It was then passed to my aunt to read to her children. When I was pregnant, my aunt gave it back to me. I love reading this enchanting story to my daughter. We giggle and trade kisses and have a great snuggle right before bed. This is another memory filled classic that I am truly thrilled to be able to pass on. Highly recommended.

Little Bear is a book of four simple stories for beginning readers about Little Bear and his mother. In the first story, "What Will Little Bear Wear?," Little Bear's mother helps him find something to wear to keep him warm outside in the snow. In "Birthday Soup," Little Bear thinks his mother has forgotten his birthday and decides to make birthday soup for his friends. As they sit down to eat their soup, Mother Bear comes in with a birthday cake and tells him that she did not forget his birthday, and never will. "Little Bear Goes to the Moon," features Little Bear going on a pretend trip to the moon wearing his new space helmet. Mother Bear has lunch waiting for him when he returns. In the last story, "Little Bear's Wish," Mother Bear tells Little Bear a bedtime story about all of the adventures he has had, providing a nice culmination to the book.

I would recommend this book for ages 3 through 7. Children this age will easily identify with Little Bear's adventures and emotions. They will also enjoy the personification of the animals in the book. In addition, children longing for security will be reassured by the portrayal of Mother Bear's love for Little Bear. This book would be appropriate for parents to read to their young children for enjoyment. Older children who are learning to read will also enjoy the short, simple stories. The simple illustrations throughout the book complement the text perfectly by highlighting Little Bear's adventures. In addition, Maurice Sendak has done an amazing job of expressing the love between Little Bear and his mother with his endearing drawings.

Love all the books by this author. Introduced these books to my children when they were old enough and loved to be read to ..
Every night we would read a Little Bear book and they remember them still to this day.. Now my next generation is going to be brought up on these amazing books..
All my books arrived in record time.
I can't wait to give them to my Grandson in September... Let the stories begin once again..

You might be familiar with the Little Bear series on PBS and Nick Jr. It is a charming television series for young children, but it is not nearly as charming as the books upon which it was based.

The first Little Bear book is properly titled "Little Bear". In it we are first introduced to delightful bear who wants to play outside, but fears it will be too cold, so he puts on a hat...and is still cold. And so it goes until the little bears is bundled up, still cold, and realizes (with the help of his mother) that he needs a fur coat, which, fortunately, he has.

The illustrations are by the incomparable Maurice Sendak, so they probably need no selling. Although, I will say, for those who may find the drawings of his children in other books impish or slightly sinister, there is nothing sinister about the darling little bear. He is perfectly rendered.

I felt the art work in this one was probably some of the best in the series and I did love the story. The story is simple, Little Bear sends a picture to his grandmother and it is taken to her by Hen. Grandmother, upon reciept of the picture wants to pass along a kiss to Little Bear. The kiss is passed from animal to animal until Little Bear receives his gandmothers kiss via the Hen. The story is cute, the illustrations are great and the kids love it. What more could you want. JUST A NOTE: I almost never refer to the review by another reviewer. In this case I will make an exception. There are Kisses and there are Kisses. I kiss my grandchildern all the time. I kiss cats and dogs and have even kissed a frog in my time. I can assure you there is nothing inappropriate in these kisses. It is an action as old as the human race. As to the skunks kissing, just what is so bad about that. You have a girl skunk that kisses a boy skunk, they enjoy it, they enjoy each other and then they get married. And this is bad? I can remember years ago first kissing my wife. We were all of fifteen years old at the time. We kissed for several more years, got married, had wonderful children and now have wonderful grandchildren and hope soon to have wonderful

great-grandchildren. This is bad? I frankly thought this was a good, healthy thing to add to this story and am glad the author did. Even at the age the book is targeted for, the wee ones should know about kisses. Recommend this one highly.

Else Holmelund Minarik's classic "Little Bear" books first appeared in 1957 (along with illustrations by the inimitable Maurice Sendak), and they remain in print today because they are pretty much perfect in every way. Collected in this volume are three separate books: "Little Bear," "Little Bear's Friend," and "Little Bear's Visit."
My children are eight and five, but they still enjoy sitting down occasionally and revisiting Little Bear. Throughout the books, Little Bear's mother is presented as the all-knowing, all-loving, kindly parent figure (you can imagine how much any parent secretly enjoys that!). The illustrations perfectly complement the calm, simple tone taken by Minarik in her tales. They present Little Bear as the typical kid: by turns curious, goofy, sad, frustrated, content, sleepy, joyful. We see the illogic involved in so many of the rites of passage of childhood without ever feeling that Little Bear is being made fun of. No, this is a protected, dear, secure universe concocted magically by Minarik and Sendak, and it's a pleasure to visit it every time you open the book.

My big children have enjoyed the Little Bear books and when they were little, this one was their favorite. I am reading the series now to younger children who enjoy them as much as the older ones did. Little Bear is really just a precious little fellow with wonderful parents. The stories are so dear and sweet. This makes for a really nice bedtime story for little folks. Some of our old favorites are still the very best.

In this first book of the Little Bear series, we are introduced to our innocent hero.

Our first story starts by Little Bear telling his mother that he wants something to put on that is fit for the cold. Mother Bear gives Little Bear a hat. But when our little protagonist goes outside, he's still cold. What can mother bear give her son now? A coat, of course. But,again,Little Bear is still cold. Finally Mother Bear gives Little Bear pants, but he's still cold. Then Little Bear asks for a final article of clothing-a fur coat, and after Mother Bear takes off all the clothes she has given him, he realizes he already has one.

The other two stories-In my opinion-are just as heartwarming as the first. I found myself grinning after each of the three conclusions. Minarik's simple text and Sendak's classic drawings make this book the perfect introduction to one of the most loveable characters in children's book history. A must-have for any parent.

R

My kids and I came to know Little Bear through the cartoons on TV first. Perhaps part of the appeal of the books for my kids is that they know these stories well from the cartoon, but the books are much more engaging!

Best of all, unlike the cartoons, you have the amazing illustrations of Maurice Sendak. They give the books a timeless appeal.

Perfect to read to little ones, and an excellent reader for K-2.

Other titles in the Level 1 - Beginning Reading series are:

- "Father Bear Comes Home"

- "A Kiss For Little Bear"

- "Little Bear's Friend"

- "Little Bear's Visit"

I hate to write reviews about books I read as a child. I couldnt be stopped about this book. It holds a special place in my heart. I was first read this book by my father when I was a young lad. Later as time went we practiced a new word out of the story each night. The story is about a little bear who is growing up faster than he should in some cases. Having to deal with changing weather and getting dressed for that weather. Later in the book the little bear has a birthday. A heart warming story of the events that followed. They dont write books like these any more. Illustrated by the late great Maurice Sendak of the wild things book and writen by the late great Else Holmelund Minarik. I personally rate this book 5 out of 5, my daughter loves the story and I am sure your child will love it as well!

Listening to my 6 year old read this books sends me back to my childhood. I love Little Bear's simultaneous innocence and wit. His inquisitiveness leads him on adventure that closely parallel those of any child.

Love the text & the Sendak illustrations! So many texts try to teach manners by examples of bad manners. I'd much rather expose my 2-1/2 year-old son to books where the characters behave with sensitivity toward others. I remembered this from my childhood, and was not disappointed when I revisited it. For the same purpose, I also like A.A.Milne (Winnie the Pooh) and Jocelyn's "What do you say, dear" (which is more didatic, but the humorous tone & wild illustrations more than make up for it). Obviously, there's more to Little Bear (and the Winnie the Pooh stories) than sensitivity to others, but the mannerliness of the characters and the great illustrations are a big plus for me.

I grew up with this book and it will always hold a very special place in my heart. My parents used to read it to me when I was little and I loved the exciting stories about Little bear and his friends (The one where they make Birthday Soup was my favorite. Carrots, potatoes, peas and tomatoes...). The illustrations are beautiful as well, and bring me right back to my childhood. Love, love, love this book. Every parent should read this to their kids and introduce them to the wonderful adventures of Little Bear.

Read this to your toddler if you want to hear a delighted, "Again!" Just when you think the suspense has become unbearable, just when you wonder if Little Bear will get the kiss . . . Perfectly paced, engagingly illustrated, and good humor. You will likely look for more volumes in this wonderful series.

My two sons (5-year old and 4-year old) have enjoyed this book for a couple years now. They imagine themselves as "little bears" and enjoy adding their own imagination to the book's different stories.

I really liked the "Birthday Soup" chapter best and have used it to teach my sons that no matter how little you have, you always have enough to share.

The book is a classic and you can add it to your storybook collection with the store's 4-for-3 special offer. I suggest you pick up "Little Bear's Friend" (see my review), too.

My granddaughter and I simply love this book. Four beautiful stories that are laced with love, compassion and tenderness are between the covers of this work. My favorite is "Little Bear's Wish." In this delightful tale Little Bear shares many wishes with his Mother just before bedtime. Adorable.

The print is large enough for young readers and the illustrations are perfect for the book. This is truly a nice book, one that you will want to keep around for years to come.

Shirley Johnson

My kids and I love the little bear stories. I had "Little Bear" as a child myself. I just recently learned about this book. We just love it. It is shorter then the others and the art is just a bit different, but still as charming as always.
In the story little bear draws a picture and has hen take it to grandmother bear, who send hen with a kiss for little bear. The kiss get passed along from friend to friend until hen gets it again and gives it to little bear. Very sweet.

This book is about a little bear that goes outside and plays in the snow. He also goes to the moon and meets a moon mother. On his birthday he makes birthday soup for his friends because he thinks his mom forgot it was his birthday. He has trouble going to sleep so he makes wishes and one of them come true. Then they talk about all of the events that already happened in the story. The lesson this book teaches is that you should have fun and listen to your parents. THE AGE LEVEL IS UNDER 7

I loved reading Little Bear as a girl and have 3 of the books for my boys (ages 4 and 6). My 6 year old is learning to read. He may be able to read this book to himself before the end of kindergarten.

I remember reading Little Bear as a child myself. I then shared him with my children and now my granddaughter. These are beginner reader chapter books. So sitting through the entire thing maybe hard for the younger reader-listener to do. But they are good, sweet books.

The stories in this book are quite charming and enjoyable for the parents as well as children. It IS repetitive for new readers though. I understand why, but since I'm reading these to a 3 year old, I sometimes cut out the repetitive working sometimes. Goblin Story is my son's favorite. It's one of his favorite series of stories along with Curious George and the Frog and Toad Collection (which he likes even more than this collection).

The bear stories depict probably the most innocent and gentle narration that would happen between little bear and its mummy. It takes both children and adults alike to a world of dreams where you can be day-dreaming and be happy with it.

This is a favorite in our house. Well, my favorite anyway, and when you have to read the same books over and over to your kids, that counts for something! The absurdity begins with a frightful drawing, just for grandma, and ends with a jealous skunk. I love it!

As a child, I dearly cherished the "little bear" books (all of them). My mother read them to me until I could read myself. Unfortunately, my books were destroyed in storage a few years ago. I'm so pleased to find them on the store so I can have them once again for the memories.

I remember reading this book as a child and loving it. Now 21 and in my 3rd year of college, I come back to the memeories of this book and the stories. Still vivid in my mind is the picture of Little Bear going outside in the cold weather only to return home asking his mother for something warm to wear and in the end relazing he had his own fur coat all along, and then him taking off to the moom.

I'm studying to become a teacher and making a book list for one of my classes and this is sure to be on there.

Such happy stories. My daughter learned to read with this book. My son have learning difficulties due to a heart condition and this book motivates him.

Children seem to learn better when they read about animals and positive situations. This book is so very positive that I sometimes read it for myself. It gives a warm happy feeling!

The Little Bear books are the favorites in our house. Our three year old son and his ten month old sister actually sit and listen while they are being read these books. Mom and dad love them also. We choose these books first over all the others in our bookcase.

This and the entire Little Bear series are classics: wonderful, witty, warmly illustrated stories of caring that my daughter and I enjoyed reading over and over until she learned to read for herself with these I Can Read books. Read them and you'll love them.

My son loved reading this book. He was able to read easily through almost everything but the last few pages. There, the author used larger and harder to "sound out" words. I'd highly recommend this for a new reader. It was a very cute story!

A wildly inappropriate book for kids, all about too much kissing.

Quick plot summary: The book starts with a bear drawing a picture for his grandmother, and all of the sudden two skunks are getting married. That's pretty much it.

Our daughter is 2 1/2 and loves all the stories in this book. She asks to have Little Bear for her bedtime story several nights a week. She even acts out some of the stories in her pretend play and "does" the things that Little Bear does, like going to the moon and making Birthday Soup. This book is certainly a family favorite.

This book is great for kids just learning to read. The pictures are fun to look at, and kids will have fun reading the book. I thought it was a good idea to put different stories into one book so kids can choose what the want to read on their own.

My little 19 month-old daughter loves this book so much that I have had to tape some pages and the binding together. She wants us to read this book to her several times a day and she sometimes "reads" the book herself. The author does a great job in telling wonderful stories using words that kids can read easily.

My daughter is 5 years old . She watches Little Bear on T.V. and wants to learn how to read this book because of the show . I will buy more of these books soon as long as she is interested in them . I will also buy them for my niece and nephew as well . I really like the easy to read words that don't discourage kids from wanting to learn to read .The paperback books are easy to take with us . Thank you ,

Dear Else Minarik,

I was so excited about owning this book. It is the first book I ever read. (36 years ago) I saw something different everytime I read it. It warmed my heart to see it again. I didn't take very long to recieve it. Thank you for opening up a whole new world, reading. gwen

This is my favorite book to give to parents/kids because it is not as well known as many other children's classics. This book is so comforting! The story is simple and sweet and the parents always come through.

AN ENDEARING BOOK THAT LITTLE ONES THAT CAN'T READ WILL ENJOY AND UNDERSTAND THE SIMPLE WORDS USED. THE STORIES ARE SHORT TO HOLD THE ATTENTION OF LITTLE ONES. I LOVE THE ILLISTRATIONS. GREAT BOOK SERIES.

I haven't read this book but boy it touched my heart seeing little bear it use to calm me in the hospital as a little girl watching little bear on tv. From the opening of the intro & all. I prob will buy a book for my son

I love all the other Little Bear books in her series but this one was strange. I'm sure that 30 years ago it wouldn't have seemed odd to tell your child a story about kisses being passed from one person to another but in today's age it just left a strange feeling with me esp at the part where the skunks kept kissing eachother back & forth. At least they get married at the end of the story. I took it back to the libray. Glad I didn't buy it. I own all the others she wrote however and love them.

We come from a Christian home and I would agree that this story also left me with an uneasy feeling. I could see a secular view saying no big deal but there was an undertone in this book that I didn't like. It is apart of my first graders reading curriculum and I am going to ask it be removed.
1st little bears favorite picture that he drew and gave his grandma is likened to that of a little devil and second the animals are passing kisses on to one another. And especially the skunks kissing again and again and again. This is supposed to be a children's book. I don't understand what is going through the mind of an author.
I recommend you stay away from this book.