We're Going on a Bear Hunt (Classic Board Books)

This is a Board Book and a story that can be inter-active with toddlers......Highly recommended for very young cjhildren and format is indestructible....Time for order to be filled was unuaually long...over three weeks.Price was fair! Condition Excellent....

Exciting story. My grandchildren love this book, and relate it to going through the woods at the cabin. They insist on reading it over and over. It's fun to listen to them tell other people the story.

OMG..5 month old son loves this book...great rhyme! I love this book...I've practically memorized it! He really pays attentions...wow! Colors aren't that bright but he's still loves pics. Definitely recommend.

Unfortunately, I have had to put this book away for a little while because my son has developed a slight fear of bears, but while it was in the rotation, it was a huge hit! The rhythm of the book is delightful and provides ample opportunities for little ones to pipe in with an "uh-oh" or a sound effect. It only took a few readings for my son to grasp some of the repetitive patterns that allow for a lot of participation. Also, the artwork is beautiful and very soothing.
The book itself is solid and very large.

This book is a treasure for anyone who likes haiku, but especially for those who also love birds. The illustrations are remarkable. Clearly the author / illustrator know their birds well. I purchased multiple copies to give as gifts to relatives 11, 32, up to 64 years old! All will enjoy it!

My daughter is 17 months and loves this book!!! The pages switch back and forth from gray and white to color. She loves turning to get to the color pages. The only thing that bugs me is the wording is a little different than I remember from the traditional story, but it's a great buy!

This book is a rewrite of the original, which just isn't as much fun as it was when we were kids! We bought it for our child hoping to pass on the tradition and were sad to see that so much of the rhythm has changed. Perhaps that just a personal preference though.

Great book.

My son loved it whenever I would read this to him and he had the whole book memorized.

Strangely enough my daughter doesn't like it at all...she's more into Willem's Elephant and Piggie series of books and Watt's Fly In A Vacuum.

They both liked the classics by Seuss.

Kids huh?

As children's books go I think that it's a good one and have enjoyed reading it to them and I consider it a future classic in children's literature.

Oh goodness, where do I begin? ONE of our favorite read alouds, for both mama and kiddos. My girls have demolished this copy, and there's a good chance that they'll demolish our next copy, but it's just that well loved! (They're known to take books to bed and play a bit rough with their favorites!) Highly recommended for toddlers, preschoolers, and any other age that happens to be in the room. ;)

This book is so much fun! I found it at a local store and then had to purchase more copies because my grandson had to take it home with him. Easy to memorize and requires participation from everyone around! Board book is durable but large enough that everyone can see the pictures and join in the fun. Highly recommend for anyone who loves to read and sharing an adventure!

Classic and fun sequencing story for little ones. This is a smaller board book, but great quality. Google the title to learn fun actions and a rhythmic way to read it! My toddler loves doing auctions with the story and this is a fun story for that. The illustrations aren't obnoxious, they're very sweet and done in light natural colors. Love this book!

We love this book! As a parent of two toddlers, I have read a lot of children's books and this is one of my favorites! It is so fun to read and easy for the kids to memorize so they can "read" along. It's also really fun to act out the story, if you're feeling creative. The board book is very sturdy and we haven't had issues yet with durability. I am very pleased with this book and we've even purchased it again as a gift.

So excited to of added this book to my little ones collection. I use to work at a daycare and this book was always a hit so I knew I had to have it for my son. We just got it in the mail today and read it. My 18 month old was just in awe and sat and looked at every page in great detail as I read the words with excitement. Highly recommend this book.

We're Going on a Bear Hunt is a classic story that entices the imaginations of many young children around the world. It has rhyme and repetition, with a bit of suspense thrown in. It's a great book full of adventure to engage young minds and hopefully help them love reading. I personally read this story to my children for story time during the day or before bedtime. I highly recommend this book to anyone who has young children at home who love adventure.

My daughter is obsessed with this book!

After a friend let us borrow her copy of the book, I purchased this board book for my daughter so that it would have a chance at remaining intact. She carries her favorite books EVERYWHERE with us!

This is a classic. I think the part kids tend to love the most are the sound effects and repeating words. It is a good fit for children of all ages and a perfect book for a parent to read a child to encourage some interaction.

Great classic book. Love the size and the hard pages. I bought it for my niece as part of her Christmas gift. My sister in law said she has asked every night since for this book to be read at bed time and she has been asking for it to be read twice each night!

A favorite in my preschool classroom. I have to read this book at least 4-5 times a week. I act out the pages which adds more interest. Would highly recommend. This particular book is small, not average size.

This is a classic, and I can't wait for after Christmas for it to be part of our collection. I love board books for my 2 year old, so this one is perfect and I love the size as well as the illustrations.

It's one of best book for children no matter what age they are. It's witty and song like ( I know that cd does exists, just didn't get around to buy one yet) with a beautiful illustrations, open ended ending. Just ordered a copy after borrowing it for many years. It came on time and the book is in good condition. Didn't check the size, so it's a bit small to my liking, but it's the only and not very big problem. Sort of the book for reading with 1-2 children next to you rather then with a large group of the them.

My kids love this story and I have to read it over and over and over. And being hardcover I dont have to worry about the wee ones ripping the pages. Nice size and a great way to help a young one learn to read and follow words due to the reptition.

Love this book. It's fun to create motions to act out as you read it. It's a larger than usual version of the book which makes it even more fun to read. I bought it for my two year old granddaughter and another for her daycare teacher. It's good for much older kids too, up to about 8 years old. Have fun!

I bought this book for my two year old granddaughter after hearing it read during her music class. She absolutely loves this book! I love the use of onomatopoeia! My granddaughter delights in mimicking the sounds the family makes as they go through tall grasses, a river, a forest etc. I think the repetition and the terrific pictures help her to understand what the family is doing throughout the book. And now, when we come to the part of meeting the bear in the cave she is able to describe, with me, what the bear looks like!

I was disappointed to receive this in the mail. I ordered it for my niece. I didn't particularly think that the quality of the smaller book was that nice (not a board book type- just a really small paperback). And the bear isn't much bigger than a beanie baby. It was my fault for not looking at the dimensions, but I would've like a bigger book and bear for the price. If you're wanting a tiny book and bear, then order.

As far as the story itself... I love the story and read it to my children. Its repetitive and kids love it. Fun to use motions while reading it! We clap our lap, and then our hands to the rhythm..."going on a bear hung, we're gonna catch a big one"...the kids love it. I would personally prefer a bigger book, however.

Not sure why his book is so popular. I read it with my 3 yo, and we both looked at each other at the end. He does not want to read it again. He even said that's a dumb one mom. Really unimpressed as we have over 200 kids books and love many of them. This was one I bought knowing nothing of just reading reviews. What a mistake!

This is really weird. A number of the reviews are about snoring. Was there something in the book that I missed? Anyway, I always read to my kids. This was one of my favorites. The repetition was contagious and the kids could provide the sound affects. Loved the drawings. Alas my kids are too big to read to, so I give it as gifts to children. Highly recommended.

I bought this book for my two year old granddaughter after hearing it read during her music class. She absolutely loves this book! I love the use of onomatopoeia! My granddaughter delights in mimicking the sounds the family makes as they go through tall grasses, a river, a forest etc. I think the repetition and the terrific pictures help her to understand what the family is doing throughout the book. And now, when we come to the part of meeting the bear in the cave she is able to describe, with me, what the bear looks like!

I was disappointed to receive this in the mail. I ordered it for my niece. I didn't particularly think that the quality of the smaller book was that nice (not a board book type- just a really small paperback). And the bear isn't much bigger than a beanie baby. It was my fault for not looking at the dimensions, but I would've like a bigger book and bear for the price. If you're wanting a tiny book and bear, then order.

As far as the story itself... I love the story and read it to my children. Its repetitive and kids love it. Fun to use motions while reading it! We clap our lap, and then our hands to the rhythm..."going on a bear hung, we're gonna catch a big one"...the kids love it. I would personally prefer a bigger book, however.

Not sure why his book is so popular. I read it with my 3 yo, and we both looked at each other at the end. He does not want to read it again. He even said that's a dumb one mom. Really unimpressed as we have over 200 kids books and love many of them. This was one I bought knowing nothing of just reading reviews. What a mistake!

This is really weird. A number of the reviews are about snoring. Was there something in the book that I missed? Anyway, I always read to my kids. This was one of my favorites. The repetition was contagious and the kids could provide the sound affects. Loved the drawings. Alas my kids are too big to read to, so I give it as gifts to children. Highly recommended.

This pop-up version of the classic book makes for a fun, interactive read. And the snow globe feature on the front, allows the young reader/listener to shake the book up and down and make it snow. Like to classic chant, this book takes the reader on a fun trip through a grassy field, a river, a muddy field, a dark forest, and a creepy cave. The fun sound effects make for a perfect opportunity to get the listener or listeners up and marching around themselves. Like so many things in life, the family eventually realizes that sometimes we don't really want to find what we go looking for. The pop-ups make this a bit delicate, but the book is bound to get lots of love before falling apart.

This has to be one of my favorite all time books for children. In my years as a preschool teacher, Mom, and now, Grandma, I have read this book many times and yet, never reviewed it.

I absolutely love the repetitive nature of this book. In two sittings of reading this book on the same day, my granddaughter has already memorized some of the repetitious lines.

I read this book with actions for each item the family comes to. It is enjoyable to see children do those same actions as the book is read. We even go on our own "bear hunt!" I love, love LOVE it!

The illustrations are fun and colorful and children can easily see what the family is coming up on next. The twist at the end of course is priceless.

The copy I have now is the 25th anniversary edition which includes a soft not-so-large bear with it. Fun! This is a must have book for any household or school to have.

Disclosure: I purchased this book for my own collections. The views expressed here are 100% my own and may differ from yours. ~Naila Moon

Guess I am in the minority that believes this book is pretty stupid. I don't have any nostalgia with the song so I can only judge what appears to be a bizarre tale of a family that decides to randomly track a bear , with infant and children in tow, through harsh and dangerous conditions and for no apparent reason. They find what they are looking for then run scared. Two stars for nice artwork. Yes my 2 year old likes it but I judge a good childrens book based on originality, writing, artwork and whether it engages the imagination of parent as well. This one just seems repetetive and pointless.

I remember singing this song at summer camps so I thought it would be fun but this versions sound effects are awkward. The version I learned we also went "around," "under," "over" and "through"--this version only goes "through it" for the obstacles. If you don't enjoy repeating each of the following 3 times (seriously, try saying each of these 3 times in a row): "squelch, squerch" "swishy, swashy" "stumble trip" "splash splosh" "hoo woo" on the way to find the bear and 2-3 times each on one page when they run away from the bear, I'd skip this. They wake up a confused looking sleepy bear in his cave (apparently in winter because they walked through a blizzard). The bear at the end wanders the beach looking sad.

I bought this book for my one year old nephew and the pages were UPSIDE DOWN AND BACKWARDS... I purchased A NEW BOOK... no where did it say it would be backwards AND upside down.. WHO would give that as a present??? Tried to contact seller for return info and they HAVE NOT REPLIED... I BOUGHT 2 BOOKS FROM HIM AND BOTH WERE HORRIBLE... I AM OUT THE MONEY AND I HAVE TO GO OUT AND BUY NEW BOOKS FOR MY NEPHEW..... WILL NEVER BUY FROM THEM AGAIN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

We have owned this book since my kids were very young. We have read - sung, really - Michael Rosen's words countless times, and love the book immensely. The kids now read it to themselves 7 years on.

Helen Oxenbury's illustrations tug at our emotions. Her illustrations are a favourite in our household.

This family is so beautifully depicted, going on a bear hunt adventure. The scenes are a beautiful slice of domestic life, with mum removing children's shoes before going through mud and dad carrying said shoes, and giving piggy-back rides; mum carrying the toddler; a dog exploring with the kids.

The expressions on the found bear and the dog, the family, and the oh so human reaction to actually achieving their "goal," are all beautiful and delightful. And funny. My kids still laugh at the family running up to mum and dad's big bed to hide with dog.

This is a charming book and we treasure it. It is available in an excellent "Pop-Up" version which we also own and recommend.

I only bought this book 2 days ago and I already have it memorized! My 2 year old is obsessed with it! It's a story of a family going on an adventure and running into obstacles on their way. They always "have to go through" whatever they face. My son loves the part when they come across the bear. On the last page the bear is walking away with his head done and my son gets all sad and says "awe! Play?" It's so sweet. I highly recommend this book.

If I were forced to pick just fifty children's books to take with my wife and me and a group of kids to a deserted island, this one be right on that list. It has just about ever thing I look for in a read for the wee ones.

Now one thing you should know right now and something you should be delighted with, is that unlike so many books written for children that are based on old songs and stories, this one has stayed true to the original song that most of us grew up with. It is an old song and Michael Rosen's interpretation of this old tale is spot on. This particular work was published in 1989 but the song and tale is from a much earlier time. I can remember singing it and various versions of it when I was a child and that folks, was a long, long time ago.

"We're going on a bear hunt,
We're going to catch a big one.
What a beautiful day!
We're not scared."

When read to children, the reader needs to put a bit of themselves into this one. I have read this work to many children and have personally found that if I chant the words as they are written, in particular for the first few readings, the kids readily pick-up on it and before long will be chanting and singing right along with you.

The story is simple. A father and his four children (Including the baby) begin an adventure and go out into the wide world to find a bear...they are going on a bear hunt! Please keep in mind that this nice family is not hunting the bear in the traditional way. There are no guns or high tech hunting gear. No, they are simply (More or less through their imagination) trying to find a bear...a big one!

On their journey they first encounter "long, wavy grass." "Oh, no! We've got to go through it!"

"Swishy swashy!
Swishy swashy!
Swishy swashy!"

It is a beautiful day but "We're not scared."

Next comes a cold deep river they must get over or under or though. Then a large area of oozy mud. Next comes a forest and then a snow storm and then a "narrow, gloomy cave!" Yup you guest it! They find there bear and of course the bear gives chase back through all of the hazards they have already encountered. The bear chases them all the way to their home where they hop into bed and all hide under the covers...including the dog!

"We're not going on a bear hunt again!"

While this might seem a scary story, it really isn't. If a kid is scared while reading this, then it is the adult reader's fault for not presenting the book in the light hearted way it should be presented. This is a fun book and due to the wonderful illustrations by Helen Oxenbury, it is a funny book that kids will appreciate and enjoy! A certain amount of excitement can be built in by the reader and if effective read can led the child on a wonderful little adventure of the mind. I cannot stress enough the importance of presentation of this book when you read it to the young ones.

If you have not already treated your children to this one, and indeed, yourself, then you should do so. You are missing out on a very special read!

Don Blankenship
The Ozarks

The classic 1989 British picture book We're Going on a Bear Hunt has been reprinted with a nice addition of a 5 minute DVD where you get to learn, or be refreshed on the proper way to deliver this classic story when reading out loud, since after all the story works more from the way you talk and the actions yourself and the kids you are reading it to do, than the simple basic words of the story. The DVD is read by UK actors Emilia Fox and Kevin Whately, who both do a sensational job and deliver the lines just like you remember then from when you were a kid. It's not a continuous moving cartoon, but instead stills similar and a lot of the time the same as the illustrations in the picture book. I have no idea what the original 1989 picture book illustrations looked like but the ones in here if not the same are drawn very much in 80s style with characters' clothing and the like.

A nice nostalgic piece, if you're unfamiliar with the story the basic plot is a father talking to his children taking them into a fantasy world of an adventure where they are trying to find a bear (note hunting refers to the searching for hunting word, and is not the picking up a weapon and trying to kill the bear meaning). Along the way he reassures them their going to catch a big one and that they are not scared over and over again, which of course is part of the appeal of the story as children join in on the chorus. Along the way there are many natural obstacles such as long way grass, a river, mud, dark forest and others. each time the father explains that they can't go over it, can't go under it, oh no we've got to go through it and comes up with two word sound affect for each representing them moving through the obstacle such as, swishy swashy, splash spolsh, squelch squerch and so on. Of course what happens if or when they actually find a bear, you'll have to read to find out.

A classic for a new generation.

This is a seriously gorgeous book. Downright stunning, actually. A poetry volume cleverly disguised as a field guide that offers beautifully written haiku on twenty-four birds. As if the prose weren't enough, the pages are also filled with most wondrous watercolors by Stan Fellows.

The selections are arranged by season, beginning with the Eastern Bluebird of Spring and closing with the Purple Finch of Winter. Brilliant colors appear in the plumage of Golden Finches, Cardinals and Blue Jays. Even the American Robin, which is so common in our own backyard, is spectacular here with her puffed orange breast and white speckled throat. She sings "cheerily, cheer up, cheer up, cheerily, cheer up!" Every detail of the book is carefully arranged, right down to the perfectly chosen fonts.

Author Michael J. Rosen says "Now I live on a 100-acre farm in the foothills of the Appalachians. Writing about wildlife is really writing about my own life." He offers us a delightful peek at what he is privy to on a daily basis. Here there are feeders heavy with Purple Finches, Morning Doves building their nests and Belted Kingfishers catching fresh fish for dinner. Pileated Woodpeckers drum in the forest while the sky turns black with by the wings of a thousand Starlings.

It's lovely to find a book such as this - a children's book that is just as much a joy for adults as well. Readers of any age will take so much pleasure in this volume. If readers are not already fascinated by birds, this is an amazing introduction to the how amazing bird watching can be. Be prepared to be hooked, as this is one book far too beautiful to be relegated to the bookshelf.

I occasionally like watching birds out a kitchen window or when sitting quietly beneath a tree. I'm not a birder, but after looking through and reading THE CUCKOO'S HAIKU AND OTHER BIRDING POEMS, I found myself wanting to purchase a pair of binoculars and waking up early in the morning to go look for some pretty birds. The book examines twenty-four different birds by dividing the birds into seasons. Each bird is featured in brilliant watercolors on its own page with a haiku that reveals something about the bird. Both the haikus and illustrations are beautiful. Besides the haiku, there are a few notes about the bird on each page. The book concludes with several pages where the author gives a few more sentences to each bird explaining how the haiku for that bird developed and why certain words were used. The birds in the book are the Eastern Bluebird, Canada Goose, American Goldfinch, Northern Cardinal, American Crow, Ruby-throated Hummingbird, Mourning Dove, Chimney Swift, Belted Kingfisher, Barred Owl, Great Blue Heron, Pleated Woodpecker, Northern Mockingbird, Common Grackle, Cedar Waxwing, White-breasted Nuthatch, European Starling, American Robin, Black-billed Cuckoo, Dark-eyed Junco, Wild Turkey, Blue Jay, House Sparrow, and the Purple Finch.

THE CUCKOO'S HAIKU is marketed as a children's book and though children can enjoy the book, the book also makes an excellent gift for adults who like to go birding. I could easily see the book being used as a field book by a grandparent as they go birding with their grandchildren.

This is a superb book for kids - we have both the board version for younger kids and the larger standard paper version and its one of the books which I think is ideal for friends who are about to have babies.

This book has interested my children from a very early age (hence the board book which went with them in their cots) The illustrations are gorgeous lovely watercolours which Helen Oxenbury does so beautifully - but this is also a family and my children have related to that since a young age because there is a baby in it along with two young children. In fact it is a family who goes on a bear hunt.

the book is basically a series of chants which allow the children to take part - each of the first six pages is almost identical - they go on a bear hunt, reach an obstacle which they can't avoid (long wavy grass, Thick oozy mud, whirling swirling snow storm etc) and then the sound of the obstacle - (for instance the grass is swishy swashy, the snow storm hooo wooo and so on)

I really love the expressive language in here - learning different ways to emphasise and so on. When they find the bear there is a lovely piece of suspense and then the race back to the house back through everything with the bear chasing them.

The beauty of this book is also that the illsutrations can be shrunk down for the board book and still be of a good size to be easily seen.

There is a last poignant shot of teh bear going back to his cave and you get to talk with your (older) children about what the bear is doing and feeling.

This is really an extraodinary and enjoyable book for children - and a great aid to children's love of language and life.

Just bought this board book for my 25-month-old son. He LOVES it! There is a lot of repetition in it, but for us it's more fun than boring because my son catches on quickly so we can read it aloud together in certain parts.

The illustrations are lovely sketch / watercolor, and my son loves the onomatopaeic words used (splash-splosh, etc.) when the family goes *through* several different physical obstacles (tall grass, water, snowstorm, etc.). (By the way, "through" is a very significant word in this story, you'll find.)

What I love most about this book is the bear. I cracked up when I noticed that the bear, walking on his hind legs, was following the family back to their home, and there is an illustration that shows him politely opening the gate to walk through while the family scrambles to get away from him. I think that for even the youngest book lover, this type of humor is not completely lost, and it makes the difference between a silly romp of a book and one that could possibly be a little frightening - I mean, after all, a family IS being chased by a big bear!

I enjoyed reading this book almost as much as my son did, and that's pretty important when you know you'll be having to read it to your child over and over... and OVER again.

This book is so much fun!

The family hikes through fields and streams, etc. to find a bear. When they are surprised to actually find a bear they
breathlessly run back through all the geography they walked through to"find" the bear--leaving the bear who is following
them looking very confused.

A wonderful, classic book that might scare a few kids, but most kids will love it!

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This story has to be one of the more exciting and fun stories for young children. The tempo and rhythm can't fail to grab a child's attention.
It's got the perfect mix of pace, suspense and humour.
A really neat touch from the illustrator (Helen Oxenbury) is the alternation between color and black and white pages. The monochrome pages coincide with the recognition of the various obstacles along the way.
Another attractive effect is the way the early pages are bright and colorful and as the family gets closer to the bear, the scenes become darker and gloomier.
A key scene is where the children's dog comes face to face with the bear. The expressions on the animal's faces are superb.
The link between the story and the illustrations is at its best when the family has to quickly retrace their steps with the bear in hot pursuit. To heighten the pace we now get three frames per page.
The penultimate page is a double spread with everybody (including the dog) safely at home under the covers. Meanwhile poor old bear heads off back to his cave.
With head down and shuffling along the beach despondently you might just think he wanted to be friends with everybody.

This classic children's book is a fun read for both adults and children. A family goes on a bear hunt one day. The book tells the story with lovely visual illustrations.

Well the family goes on quite an adventure through snow, water, woods, and the natural elements to find a bear. Despite the danger in attracting bears, the family learns the hard way.

The young readers should know that bear hunting is a dangerous activity. Still the lines is lyrical and musical as well. There is a recording somewhere that would go perfect for the reading with young readers. Just make sure that you get the recording audio with it too.

This book was not the song I remeber it being. The kids were a bit put off by the scarry parts of going on a Bear hunt. Of course hmm I should have looked through the book a bit more and saved myself the pain of putting this book on a back shelf.. So I guess note to self if you can read each page do so.

We checked this book out at the library because I had heard a librarian read it to my students and they loved it. My little ones loved it so much that we re-read it about a 100 times during the 2 weeks we had it checked out. My daughter is almost 3 and has most of the words memorized. I never tire of reading them this one and now that we have our own copy I look forward to reading it over and over again. I highly recommend this book for a Christmas gift, first birthday, or baby shower gift. It is a family favorite!

I bought the board version of book for my son when he was 2 years old, we read it togheter many times and he loved. We moved to Brazil and I now got a hard cover copy here (one year after), he is 3 and a half now and still loves the book.
The story is engaging, makes the child think and now he gets really excited at the end. He learned about "going over" and "going under" things, I think the book is fun and also educational.
A must have I would say.
In regards to the versions the board book version is much smaller but very well built, it is easir to carry aroung in the back pack or in the car; if i had found it I would have bought the board version again.
The Hardcover version is much bigger, but the colors are shinier, and very vivid, looks better than the board version in terms of colors but is difficult for a three year old to handle when laying down on the bed.

This has to be one of my favorite all time books for children. In my years as a preschool teacher, Mom, and now, Grandma, I have read this book many times and yet, never reviewed it.

I absolutely love the repetitive nature of this book. In two sittings of reading this book on the same day, my granddaughter has already memorized some of the repetitious lines.

I read this book with actions for each item the family comes to. It is enjoyable to see children do those same actions as the book is read. We even go on our own "bear hunt!" I love, love LOVE it!

The illustrations are fun and colorful and children can easily see what the family is coming up on next. The twist at the end of course is priceless.

The copy I have now is the 25th anniversary edition which includes a soft not-so-large bear with it. Fun! This is a must have book for any household or school to have.

Disclosure: I purchased this book for my own collections. The views expressed here are 100% my own and may differ from yours. ~Naila Moon

Guess I am in the minority that believes this book is pretty stupid. I don't have any nostalgia with the song so I can only judge what appears to be a bizarre tale of a family that decides to randomly track a bear , with infant and children in tow, through harsh and dangerous conditions and for no apparent reason. They find what they are looking for then run scared. Two stars for nice artwork. Yes my 2 year old likes it but I judge a good childrens book based on originality, writing, artwork and whether it engages the imagination of parent as well. This one just seems repetetive and pointless.

I remember singing this song at summer camps so I thought it would be fun but this versions sound effects are awkward. The version I learned we also went "around," "under," "over" and "through"--this version only goes "through it" for the obstacles. If you don't enjoy repeating each of the following 3 times (seriously, try saying each of these 3 times in a row): "squelch, squerch" "swishy, swashy" "stumble trip" "splash splosh" "hoo woo" on the way to find the bear and 2-3 times each on one page when they run away from the bear, I'd skip this. They wake up a confused looking sleepy bear in his cave (apparently in winter because they walked through a blizzard). The bear at the end wanders the beach looking sad.

I bought this book for my one year old nephew and the pages were UPSIDE DOWN AND BACKWARDS... I purchased A NEW BOOK... no where did it say it would be backwards AND upside down.. WHO would give that as a present??? Tried to contact seller for return info and they HAVE NOT REPLIED... I BOUGHT 2 BOOKS FROM HIM AND BOTH WERE HORRIBLE... I AM OUT THE MONEY AND I HAVE TO GO OUT AND BUY NEW BOOKS FOR MY NEPHEW..... WILL NEVER BUY FROM THEM AGAIN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

We have owned this book since my kids were very young. We have read - sung, really - Michael Rosen's words countless times, and love the book immensely. The kids now read it to themselves 7 years on.

Helen Oxenbury's illustrations tug at our emotions. Her illustrations are a favourite in our household.

This family is so beautifully depicted, going on a bear hunt adventure. The scenes are a beautiful slice of domestic life, with mum removing children's shoes before going through mud and dad carrying said shoes, and giving piggy-back rides; mum carrying the toddler; a dog exploring with the kids.

The expressions on the found bear and the dog, the family, and the oh so human reaction to actually achieving their "goal," are all beautiful and delightful. And funny. My kids still laugh at the family running up to mum and dad's big bed to hide with dog.

This is a charming book and we treasure it. It is available in an excellent "Pop-Up" version which we also own and recommend.

I only bought this book 2 days ago and I already have it memorized! My 2 year old is obsessed with it! It's a story of a family going on an adventure and running into obstacles on their way. They always "have to go through" whatever they face. My son loves the part when they come across the bear. On the last page the bear is walking away with his head done and my son gets all sad and says "awe! Play?" It's so sweet. I highly recommend this book.

If I were forced to pick just fifty children's books to take with my wife and me and a group of kids to a deserted island, this one be right on that list. It has just about ever thing I look for in a read for the wee ones.

Now one thing you should know right now and something you should be delighted with, is that unlike so many books written for children that are based on old songs and stories, this one has stayed true to the original song that most of us grew up with. It is an old song and Michael Rosen's interpretation of this old tale is spot on. This particular work was published in 1989 but the song and tale is from a much earlier time. I can remember singing it and various versions of it when I was a child and that folks, was a long, long time ago.

"We're going on a bear hunt,
We're going to catch a big one.
What a beautiful day!
We're not scared."

When read to children, the reader needs to put a bit of themselves into this one. I have read this work to many children and have personally found that if I chant the words as they are written, in particular for the first few readings, the kids readily pick-up on it and before long will be chanting and singing right along with you.

The story is simple. A father and his four children (Including the baby) begin an adventure and go out into the wide world to find a bear...they are going on a bear hunt! Please keep in mind that this nice family is not hunting the bear in the traditional way. There are no guns or high tech hunting gear. No, they are simply (More or less through their imagination) trying to find a bear...a big one!

On their journey they first encounter "long, wavy grass." "Oh, no! We've got to go through it!"

"Swishy swashy!
Swishy swashy!
Swishy swashy!"

It is a beautiful day but "We're not scared."

Next comes a cold deep river they must get over or under or though. Then a large area of oozy mud. Next comes a forest and then a snow storm and then a "narrow, gloomy cave!" Yup you guest it! They find there bear and of course the bear gives chase back through all of the hazards they have already encountered. The bear chases them all the way to their home where they hop into bed and all hide under the covers...including the dog!

"We're not going on a bear hunt again!"

While this might seem a scary story, it really isn't. If a kid is scared while reading this, then it is the adult reader's fault for not presenting the book in the light hearted way it should be presented. This is a fun book and due to the wonderful illustrations by Helen Oxenbury, it is a funny book that kids will appreciate and enjoy! A certain amount of excitement can be built in by the reader and if effective read can led the child on a wonderful little adventure of the mind. I cannot stress enough the importance of presentation of this book when you read it to the young ones.

If you have not already treated your children to this one, and indeed, yourself, then you should do so. You are missing out on a very special read!

Don Blankenship
The Ozarks

The classic 1989 British picture book We're Going on a Bear Hunt has been reprinted with a nice addition of a 5 minute DVD where you get to learn, or be refreshed on the proper way to deliver this classic story when reading out loud, since after all the story works more from the way you talk and the actions yourself and the kids you are reading it to do, than the simple basic words of the story. The DVD is read by UK actors Emilia Fox and Kevin Whately, who both do a sensational job and deliver the lines just like you remember then from when you were a kid. It's not a continuous moving cartoon, but instead stills similar and a lot of the time the same as the illustrations in the picture book. I have no idea what the original 1989 picture book illustrations looked like but the ones in here if not the same are drawn very much in 80s style with characters' clothing and the like.

A nice nostalgic piece, if you're unfamiliar with the story the basic plot is a father talking to his children taking them into a fantasy world of an adventure where they are trying to find a bear (note hunting refers to the searching for hunting word, and is not the picking up a weapon and trying to kill the bear meaning). Along the way he reassures them their going to catch a big one and that they are not scared over and over again, which of course is part of the appeal of the story as children join in on the chorus. Along the way there are many natural obstacles such as long way grass, a river, mud, dark forest and others. each time the father explains that they can't go over it, can't go under it, oh no we've got to go through it and comes up with two word sound affect for each representing them moving through the obstacle such as, swishy swashy, splash spolsh, squelch squerch and so on. Of course what happens if or when they actually find a bear, you'll have to read to find out.

A classic for a new generation.

This is a seriously gorgeous book. Downright stunning, actually. A poetry volume cleverly disguised as a field guide that offers beautifully written haiku on twenty-four birds. As if the prose weren't enough, the pages are also filled with most wondrous watercolors by Stan Fellows.

The selections are arranged by season, beginning with the Eastern Bluebird of Spring and closing with the Purple Finch of Winter. Brilliant colors appear in the plumage of Golden Finches, Cardinals and Blue Jays. Even the American Robin, which is so common in our own backyard, is spectacular here with her puffed orange breast and white speckled throat. She sings "cheerily, cheer up, cheer up, cheerily, cheer up!" Every detail of the book is carefully arranged, right down to the perfectly chosen fonts.

Author Michael J. Rosen says "Now I live on a 100-acre farm in the foothills of the Appalachians. Writing about wildlife is really writing about my own life." He offers us a delightful peek at what he is privy to on a daily basis. Here there are feeders heavy with Purple Finches, Morning Doves building their nests and Belted Kingfishers catching fresh fish for dinner. Pileated Woodpeckers drum in the forest while the sky turns black with by the wings of a thousand Starlings.

It's lovely to find a book such as this - a children's book that is just as much a joy for adults as well. Readers of any age will take so much pleasure in this volume. If readers are not already fascinated by birds, this is an amazing introduction to the how amazing bird watching can be. Be prepared to be hooked, as this is one book far too beautiful to be relegated to the bookshelf.

I occasionally like watching birds out a kitchen window or when sitting quietly beneath a tree. I'm not a birder, but after looking through and reading THE CUCKOO'S HAIKU AND OTHER BIRDING POEMS, I found myself wanting to purchase a pair of binoculars and waking up early in the morning to go look for some pretty birds. The book examines twenty-four different birds by dividing the birds into seasons. Each bird is featured in brilliant watercolors on its own page with a haiku that reveals something about the bird. Both the haikus and illustrations are beautiful. Besides the haiku, there are a few notes about the bird on each page. The book concludes with several pages where the author gives a few more sentences to each bird explaining how the haiku for that bird developed and why certain words were used. The birds in the book are the Eastern Bluebird, Canada Goose, American Goldfinch, Northern Cardinal, American Crow, Ruby-throated Hummingbird, Mourning Dove, Chimney Swift, Belted Kingfisher, Barred Owl, Great Blue Heron, Pleated Woodpecker, Northern Mockingbird, Common Grackle, Cedar Waxwing, White-breasted Nuthatch, European Starling, American Robin, Black-billed Cuckoo, Dark-eyed Junco, Wild Turkey, Blue Jay, House Sparrow, and the Purple Finch.

THE CUCKOO'S HAIKU is marketed as a children's book and though children can enjoy the book, the book also makes an excellent gift for adults who like to go birding. I could easily see the book being used as a field book by a grandparent as they go birding with their grandchildren.

This is a superb book for kids - we have both the board version for younger kids and the larger standard paper version and its one of the books which I think is ideal for friends who are about to have babies.

This book has interested my children from a very early age (hence the board book which went with them in their cots) The illustrations are gorgeous lovely watercolours which Helen Oxenbury does so beautifully - but this is also a family and my children have related to that since a young age because there is a baby in it along with two young children. In fact it is a family who goes on a bear hunt.

the book is basically a series of chants which allow the children to take part - each of the first six pages is almost identical - they go on a bear hunt, reach an obstacle which they can't avoid (long wavy grass, Thick oozy mud, whirling swirling snow storm etc) and then the sound of the obstacle - (for instance the grass is swishy swashy, the snow storm hooo wooo and so on)

I really love the expressive language in here - learning different ways to emphasise and so on. When they find the bear there is a lovely piece of suspense and then the race back to the house back through everything with the bear chasing them.

The beauty of this book is also that the illsutrations can be shrunk down for the board book and still be of a good size to be easily seen.

There is a last poignant shot of teh bear going back to his cave and you get to talk with your (older) children about what the bear is doing and feeling.

This is really an extraodinary and enjoyable book for children - and a great aid to children's love of language and life.

Just bought this board book for my 25-month-old son. He LOVES it! There is a lot of repetition in it, but for us it's more fun than boring because my son catches on quickly so we can read it aloud together in certain parts.

The illustrations are lovely sketch / watercolor, and my son loves the onomatopaeic words used (splash-splosh, etc.) when the family goes *through* several different physical obstacles (tall grass, water, snowstorm, etc.). (By the way, "through" is a very significant word in this story, you'll find.)

What I love most about this book is the bear. I cracked up when I noticed that the bear, walking on his hind legs, was following the family back to their home, and there is an illustration that shows him politely opening the gate to walk through while the family scrambles to get away from him. I think that for even the youngest book lover, this type of humor is not completely lost, and it makes the difference between a silly romp of a book and one that could possibly be a little frightening - I mean, after all, a family IS being chased by a big bear!

I enjoyed reading this book almost as much as my son did, and that's pretty important when you know you'll be having to read it to your child over and over... and OVER again.

What an adventure for kids age 4 and up. Imagine a family out on a journey in search of a bear. Lot's of obstacles and lot's of humorous things stand in their way. Kids will love hearing and reading this book time over again. Illustrations are well done and writing is spot on.

This book is so much fun!

The family hikes through fields and streams, etc. to find a bear. When they are surprised to actually find a bear they
breathlessly run back through all the geography they walked through to"find" the bear--leaving the bear who is following
them looking very confused.

A wonderful, classic book that might scare a few kids, but most kids will love it!

.
This story has to be one of the more exciting and fun stories for young children. The tempo and rhythm can't fail to grab a child's attention.
It's got the perfect mix of pace, suspense and humour.
A really neat touch from the illustrator (Helen Oxenbury) is the alternation between color and black and white pages. The monochrome pages coincide with the recognition of the various obstacles along the way.
Another attractive effect is the way the early pages are bright and colorful and as the family gets closer to the bear, the scenes become darker and gloomier.
A key scene is where the children's dog comes face to face with the bear. The expressions on the animal's faces are superb.
The link between the story and the illustrations is at its best when the family has to quickly retrace their steps with the bear in hot pursuit. To heighten the pace we now get three frames per page.
The penultimate page is a double spread with everybody (including the dog) safely at home under the covers. Meanwhile poor old bear heads off back to his cave.
With head down and shuffling along the beach despondently you might just think he wanted to be friends with everybody.

This classic children's book is a fun read for both adults and children. A family goes on a bear hunt one day. The book tells the story with lovely visual illustrations.

Well the family goes on quite an adventure through snow, water, woods, and the natural elements to find a bear. Despite the danger in attracting bears, the family learns the hard way.

The young readers should know that bear hunting is a dangerous activity. Still the lines is lyrical and musical as well. There is a recording somewhere that would go perfect for the reading with young readers. Just make sure that you get the recording audio with it too.

This book was not the song I remeber it being. The kids were a bit put off by the scarry parts of going on a Bear hunt. Of course hmm I should have looked through the book a bit more and saved myself the pain of putting this book on a back shelf.. So I guess note to self if you can read each page do so.

We checked this book out at the library because I had heard a librarian read it to my students and they loved it. My little ones loved it so much that we re-read it about a 100 times during the 2 weeks we had it checked out. My daughter is almost 3 and has most of the words memorized. I never tire of reading them this one and now that we have our own copy I look forward to reading it over and over again. I highly recommend this book for a Christmas gift, first birthday, or baby shower gift. It is a family favorite!

I bought the board version of book for my son when he was 2 years old, we read it togheter many times and he loved. We moved to Brazil and I now got a hard cover copy here (one year after), he is 3 and a half now and still loves the book.
The story is engaging, makes the child think and now he gets really excited at the end. He learned about "going over" and "going under" things, I think the book is fun and also educational.
A must have I would say.
In regards to the versions the board book version is much smaller but very well built, it is easir to carry aroung in the back pack or in the car; if i had found it I would have bought the board version again.
The Hardcover version is much bigger, but the colors are shinier, and very vivid, looks better than the board version in terms of colors but is difficult for a three year old to handle when laying down on the bed.

Rosen, Michael J. 2009. The Cuckoo's Haiku and Other Birding Poems. Somerville: Candlewick. ISBN: 978-07636-3049-2.

Research on children's poetry preferences shows that haikus are one of the least favorite forms of poetry and that children prefer humorous poetry or poetry written about familiar situations (Vardell 75). With that research in mind, it is understandable that a book of haikus about birds may not interest young children. This collection of poems, marketed on the store as a book for children ages 4-8, did not break the mold that research found. The book is divided by the four seasons, and each haiku is devoted to one bird. In addition to the poem, there is side information about the bird. The side information is in a beautiful scroll type, which is difficult for young children, many of which do not know how to read or write cursive, to decipher. Struggling readers will not invest the time to read the small scroll. So, while the script adds to the whimsical pictures, it does not help students who are curious about the birds. While the pictures in the book are beautiful, vivid watercolors of unique birds and their surroundings, they lack appeal for young children.
March brings the beginning of spring for those in Texas (April for the rest of the country), and for many, it's the first chance in a long time to get outside and feel the warmth of the sun. The haiku entitled "Eastern Bluebird" reminds the reader that the birds are spring's first song.
"On a staff of wires
Blue notes inked from April skies
Truly, spring's first song" (Rosen 3).
When spring brings those beautiful crisp afternoons, these poems make for a great break from the classroom. After reading this haiku, the students can take a break outside, enjoying spring's first song, writing about the birds and sounds they hear. Seeing and hearing the birds can spark interest in writing about them, and although most kids do not enjoy haikus, maybe the same beautiful birds that inspired the author will inspire them as well.
I reviewed this book for my poetry class at Texas Woman's University.
[...]

This is such a wonderful children's book! We love the sing-song rhythm. My husband read it to our 3 month old last night for the first time and she was riveted and chattering at the pictures. I've also read it to the 2 year old I watch and he begs for it again and again.

Such a fun book. My 2 and a half year old was memorized with the pictures and story and listened intently to the entire story. At first I was a little skeptical about the black and white pages, but it did add a nice contrast to the more colorful pages. Even the black and white pages, held his interest. I can't wait to read the story over and over again to him!

I've just noticed the reviewer who said her autistic son loves GOING ON A BEAR HUNT.

That was our household, too.

We bought the book when it first came out--our son is 18 now--and he adored it. It was the only book we could read to him, and he used to chant the poem along with us when we'd take walks around the neighborhood.

All these years later, GOING ON A BEAR HUNT has a different meaning for me.

It's the refrain. 'We can't go over it, we can't go under it, we'll have to go through it!'

That's autism. You can't go over it & you can't go under it; you have to go through it.

We did, and we've all come out on the other side in one piece.

I have such happy memories of the book that I'm buying a new copy to keep always.

I've been reading this book since my son was nearly a year old, and one of his first words was "again?" as he would hand it to me after I'd read it the first time. He loves the sing-song sway of the words, and I use hand motions of "over, under, and through" every time to show him what those words mean. When we get to the bear, he now points to his nose, ears, and eyes. He loves this book, and it's fun - even if you read it twice in a row. (His attention generally wanders the second time through, so we'll skip straight to the cave and bear.)

We've been reading this book to our 17 month old daughter since she was given it at 6 weeks and yet it's still a favourite! She now joins in on the Uh-Oh's, and lots of the sound pages too. She's been 'reading' the Hoo Woo snowstorm page by herself since about 6 months and loves bouncing along to the rhythm of the story and waving goodbye to the bear on the last page. It wouldn't surprise me if this is the first book she 'reads' independently in a few years time. Highly recommended as a present for new babies. It's never too early to start encouraging a love of books!

This onomatopoeic book is so much fun to read and act out you would want to read it over and over again to your kids although the book gets the kids excited it wakes them up rather than put them to sleep. I like reading this earlier in the day when the whole family can act out the scenes and make noises. As for me, especially when it's cold, I dread to be this family who goes in the water, through the snow storm and be chased by a bear. I sometimes end the story with, "aren't you glad we are in a safe and comfort of home?"

Kids of most ages will love this one. Apparantly based on a "campfire" chat that I was not previously familiar with, this books presents a great story told in lyric about an unlikely bear hunt. As fun as the story is, the pictures are 'cute' and attractive for kids and their readers. I have seen this in both board book format (wth all of the advantages of that slobber-tolerant medium) and full size 'big picture' format. I recommend the latter if you can find it, for enjoyment of the artwork.

My 3 year old has never heard the song "We're Going on a Bear Hunt" and she LOVES to play make believe. I bought this book for her as a Christmas gift because I know that she will love reading the story as well as acting it out.

My daughter is almost 3 and she has been obsessed with this book. She acts out the scenario in the book ALL THE TIME, when we are walking on the grass or when she saw a bear. She can act out the escaping for 10 or 20 times. I am surprised that she can even remember the sounds for each scene while we adults can't remember.

Love reading it, reciting it to my 13 months old daughter, acting it out for her, looking at the pictures with her! Beautiful book! Careful not to damage it by leaving it by a sippy cup like we did. :-o

I can't imagine not having this in the board book version with my next child! I actually found my copy at Potterybarnkids and I was so excited and so was my child the first time we read it. It's simply so classic, it totally a read-a-loud story every page has some new exciting nature noise to sound out and the repetition is perfect for little ears. I started reading this to my daughter around 18mos and a year later she still loves it! A must for toddler libraries!

They are much older now and I still sometimes sing "We're going on a bear hunt, we're gonna find a big one. It's a beautiful day and we're not afraid" whenever it's nice out and we all go out together. And I never heard the song LOL. I read this story many times to the delight of my kids when they were in preschool/Kindergarten.

I remember reading this to the kindergarten class I was a TA for many years ago. The children enjoyed the rhythmic verses and the 'noises'. Now that I have my own 3 yr old I have added this book to her growing collection. It is the perfect size for her to hold in her hands as I read the story with her. The verses are easy to follow and the pictures are sweet. She just loves to read along with me as she has very quickly memorized it! I highly recommend this book for your 2-6 yr old!

My daughter loves this book. After reading it to her a couple nights, at 3yrs old, she can look st the pages and recite what it says. I don't think she's reading the words, just remembers what it should say! Cute book!

This book is simply charming.Perfect for yourself,or as a gift.The haiku's are sharp,and clever.However,my favorite thing about this book is the lovely illustrations! Beautiful! I love haiku,and am a huge bird fan,so I bought this for myself,and I am so enjoying it.Perfect for the poetry fan,or even just a birding enthusiast,as again, the illustrations are charming.So glad I " found" this item!

I am a Pediatric Occupational Therapist who uses this book during our summer program. We use a different theme every week with the children and during our camping week, I use this to make an obstacle course to go along with the book. First use a holla hop hung from the ceiling with streamers hanging from it for the grass. balance beam over the blue paper to be the river. Half moon rubber like disks to simulate the squelchy mud. Make a forest of trees to stumble trip thru. Use a bubble machine to go thru the whirling snowstorm and at last get to the dark cave they crawl into and find the bear.

This is such a fun book both my boys loved when growing up! I continue to love the book and use it as a great sensory motor activity for the children as they venture thru the story themseleves.

Melissa Evans

I picked up this book because I'm trying to learn about good haiku. This is not it. If, however, you want a beautifully illustrated book of bird poetry, this would be perfect. My problem is that the author, Michael J. Rosen, has followed the form erroneously taught in so many elementary schools that a haiku must have three lines of 5 syllables, 7 syllables, then 5 syllables. In actuality, the syllable counts are appropriate if one is writing or speaking Japanese. It does not necessarily work in English. That said, the book is beautifully illustrated by Stan Fellows. The artwork is realistic and a consummate portrayal of the poetry words. The book ends with a notes explaining characteristics about each of the 20 birds which appear in the book. A beautiful book.

I have such fondness for this book--it was one of the very first books I bought my son when he was only 6 mos old and my husband and I enjoy reading it to him again and again and again, unlike Pooh's 'Who hid the Honey' (avoid THAT at all costs!). I am not naturally very animated and this books makes it easy to make him laugh and laugh. And the illustrations are truly beautiful! I practically want to crawl right in!

Buyer beware, board books are apparently not the actual book. These have the advantage that your child can't destroy them as easily, but they're only a few pages and have very little of the content of the actual book.

My family absolutely LOVES THIS Book. It has a very catchy phrase, that is easy to memorize, the drawings are very cute and my children are absolutely IN LOVE with this book. We act this book out as we read it, to the point of running in a covering up our heads in the covers, like they do at the end. My 4 year old spends hours looking at it. It is one of his favorites.

Just for a little background info on me, I have a BA in English as well as psychology. I worked as a children's library assistant for my first four years out of college. I'm also a mommy to a precious 2 year old daughter, Claire. Claire loves her books, and she adores this one, and has learned to chant diffrent parts of this book with me. It's one that both of us really enjoy!

If you're going to buy one book this year for a young child, you'd better make sure it's this one. `We're Going On A Bear Hunt' by Michael Rosen, is a children's adventure story that's guaranteed to leave you wondering at the end. What's the bear really like? Is it a good idea to go on a bear hunt? Maybe it's safer to stay at home in bed. If you did, maybe you wouldn't have such an exciting adventure!
This story is about an optimistic family and their dog who are determined to search for a bear, despite the obstacles in their way. What happens when they finally meet the bear? You'll have to read it to find out!
I recommend this brilliant story to parents and teachers of young children because, as well as being a fantastic read, it's a great book for teaching them about adjectives and prepositions: "A swirling whirling snowstorm. We can't go over it. We can't go under it. Oh no! We've got to go through it!" I also really like the illustrations by Helen Oxenbury because they help to tell the story and bring the characters to life. This is also one of my daughter's favourite bed-time stories. She's not scared...........
How about you?
Do you dare to find the bear?

I bought this book for my son when he was 3, but wished I would have got it a little earlier. He is going to be 5 and still likes the story though! I would recommend it for ages 2-5. The story is funny, entertaining and repeats the same paragraph each few pages and young tots love repetition. A sure Winner!

This is a wonderful book for anyone who likes birding and poetry! It features twenty common North American birds, with a haiku and beautiful artwork for each bird. It also has some helpful information about each bird at the end. Highly recommended!

Outstanding book and illustrations. I just listened to the illustrator and she said that they are all children going on a bear hunt, haha, so cute! The oldest brother leads the way! One of the BEST children's book (or really books for the whole family).

I bought this after reading an online article "100 must read books before your child turn 14". This book is engaging and dramatic. I can't forget my child actually covered her mouth in excitement when we are in the most dramatic turn of event as the story unfolds. Definitely a classic book to be kept in our home library!

This book is so sweet, and the illustrations so beautiful and understandable even to the youngest eyes, that our whole family (kids ranging from 3 to 16) loves it. The drawings are done with a wonderfully light hand on the brush, and the colors are so natural that the whole thing just flows, and it is clear the artist loves the medium. This love spills over to the reader, effortlessly.
A special kudo goes to the humor and empathy for the poor bear who ends up going home alone, dejected, at the end ...

Wonderful book, the repetition of the refrain helps my daughter anticipate and "read" every other page. She also uses "We're going on a "fill in the blank" hunt" to deal with any stressful situations in real life, when she is a little worried about going through or around something (such as a crowd) we say say the lines and she seems to feel braver.

This book is a wonderful book. I just recently taught a lesson to accompany this book to my class. Although this book is listed for pre-school level, my lesson was geared towards second and third graders. This book is one which is flexible and easy to use with a variety of different age groups.

This is an interactive story about a family hiking to find a bear. It details all of the obstacles that they encounter before quickly realizing that being home isn't so bad after all. My 11 mo old enjoys the funny sound effects and actions. Very fun and interactive book.

My little guy - 19 months - LOVES this book. He can be playing across the room and if you start reading it he will drop whatever he is doing to run over and crawl up in your lap. He also likes to chime in with the "Uh-Ohs" and "Oh-Nos". Every kid should own this book!

I've taught school for 38 years and have 9 grandchildren, and this is the book all of my kids LOVE LOVE LOVE! Most little ones love repetition so that they can join in the fun. I read with lots of suspense and drama, and tons of scary anxiety when the bear is chasing them home. We all end up breathless, but safe, at the end! Don't use the DVD. What is the fun in that???

was given the book while in London and it quickley became the favorite of our daughters.

the constant repeating of the main verse invites the children to particpate in the story with the reader.

Would recomend this book to anyone thats beginning to read to thier children

This book cotains a cute story (family seeks a bear, finds a bear, runs from the bear, and resolves not to go looking for bears again), but unfortunately it is poorly written, containing either typos or embarrasing misunderstandings of common idioms. There is no rhythm to the repetitive "chant" that repeats every page (i think the line "what a beautiful day" is what kills the rhythm-too many syllables). And it repeats strange phrases (what is "oh-oh"? Is that supposed to be "uh-oh"? Is it "oh, oh" [indicating a pause?]). And what are goggly eyes? Are the bear's eyes supposed to resemble goggles of some sort? Or did the author mean googly eyes (which is itself a nonsense phrase)?

This book is one of those books you can pick up and read over and over again! As children become more familiar with it they love to say the words right along with you- making it a new experience each time you read it. The kids love to move and wiggle along with the rhythm. Great for their imaginations as they relate to these common experiences, but see it in a new light of adventure. Guaranteed to be loved by every child! A must read!!!

This story is delightful for children to listen to and chime
in with the reader. The family in the story starts out
fearlessly to find a bear. After meeting many obstacles they
change their opinion when they actually do meet a bear.

Michael Rosen's "We're Going On A Bear Hunt" is a cute tale suitable for any beginning reader or elementary level class. It has a repetitive and rhythmic verse. The story is a light-hearted adventure, with a fun twist at the conclusion for childrens enjoyment. The illustrations suited the text well, as they were not eccentric but not dull. I used the book for a lesson on sequencing for a first grade class. It can also be used to foster reading skills because of it's textual predictability and repetition. Overall, a helpful tool for fun activities and learning in the classroom.

Great for boys (and girls). Fun to read, easy for kids to remember, good illustrations. Young children (toddlers) enjoy the "sounds" their parents make, older children enjoy reading this one to younger siblings. Clever.

I have 3 kids and they are all love this book. We spend quality time playing while reading this book. This book is not something that you read for bedtime story. But this is something that you can run, hide, play with your kids.

We enjoy going along the adventure with the family in the book and shouting phrases like, " We can't go over it. We can't go under it. Oh,no! We've got to go through it!" There are fantastic sounds along the journey like "Hoo Woo" in the snowstorm. The ending is best read really fast, which is at times challenging for the parent and fun for all. We love this book!

example: "phased like tilted moons / half shadow, half reflection / juncos cross the snow"

Being more interested in the haiku side of the book, I was disappointed. But the watercolors are incredibly beautiful, and the sketchbook format of the pages makes one want to go do some art. This is a book for artists and birders, more so than haiku lovers and poets.

When I was in Kindergarten we learned this chant, not from a book bit from a teacher, and it was lion not bear, but otherwise was a beloved story that I loved to participate in. We would sit in a circle and slap our knees to the beat. We must have done it once a week, all together, because thirty years later I still know it. So happy to find this book and to pass it along.

Someone gave my son this book when he was younger but even I used this book for inspiration when I was having hard times. I still repeat a few of the lines when times are stressful. We can't go over it, we can't go under it, we've got to go through it! Amazing book even for an adult.

We bought this on a driving trip in Maine this summer and our 4 year old just loved it. Still does now home in CA! He memorized the story and loves to repeat the story. Also they have various word and other games related to the story. You won't regret buying it!

This book is about an irresponsible father who subjects his children to one hazard after another. He makes them cross through a dangerous river on foot, trudge through a snow storm without proper attire, and finally (you guessed it) enter a cave to harass a poor wild bear. Do NOT recommend.

This is one book both my 3 1/2 year old and 2 year old can agree on. It is a staple every night, and we all squeal and pull the covers over our heads at the end right along with the characters in the book. This book has inspired my toddlers to go on their own "bear hunts" all over the house with flashlights and the lights out. So much fun from one little book!!

This is a book to delight children ages 1 to 5. The repetition of silly onomatopoeic sounds and rhythmic language delight children just acquiring meaningful sounds, and the excitement of the "hunt" builds suspense nicely. The low-key and soft illustrations, along with a comically surprised bear, help mitigate the tension for those with too vivid imaginations. The simple message that sometimes the search for thrills can find more than we bargained for is handled deftly and without any moralizing overtones. Fun for the reader, too!