Winter is here, and it is time to feel cozy, just like bears. I love bears and bear stories. Children do too. While stories about animals are always popular, bear stories are favorites, year after year.
Here are my favorite bear books:
There are old ones and new ones, stories to make you laugh, stories of history, books with rhyming, holiday messages, and adventure. There are books that are just good. They make me want to read them again, and I do.
Finding Winnie, by Lindsay Mattick
This is the true story of Winnie the Pooh, the bear that became famous in WWI before he went to the London zoo. It is captivating, with real photos and beautiful illustrations. The reader is immediately drawn to the soldier Harry Colebourn on the train in Canada to fight in the war, and finding a bear cub.
Those Pesky Rabbits, by Ciara Flood
The bear lives alone, and suddenly a family of rabbits move in next door. He is annoyed at his unwanted new neighbors, despite their many efforts to be friendly. Humor and persistence win over a grumpy old bear who finally finds friends.
Iver & Ellsworth, by Casey W. Robinson
This book has the same wonderful feel and text as A Sick Day For Amos McGee. Iver takes care of his good friend Ellsworth, a factory rooftop bear. When Iver retires and moves, the bear must go in search of Iver. The text is full of love, hope, and adventure, written in soft ways that draw in the reader.
Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See?, by Bill Martin Jr.
The rhythm and verse of the text, combined with the excitement of what animal and color will appear next, has made this book a classic. Children never tire of this book. They look forward to page after page with anticipation. It was Eric Carle’s debut as an illustrator of children’s books.
We’re Going on a Bear Hunt, by Michael Rosen
The repeated chant of “We’re going on a bear hunt” follows five children and their dog as they travel through grass, river, mud, a snowstorm, and a forest before arriving at the bear’s cave. And then, they have to go back through the same obstacles, with the bear chasing them. Repetition, excitement, and of course a bear, make this book a winner.
Stay tuned for Part 2 tomorrow.
Jennie
A Teacher's Reflections 
Amazing, Jennie! Thank you for the wonderful recommendation. Best wishes, Michael
You’re welcome, Michael. 🙂
Always a great pleasure to me, Jennie! I am honoured, and the books are so wonderful. Wish you a wonderful weekend! Dont forget to relax! Michael
Many thanks, Michael. Best to you! 🙂
Who can resist a good bear story? These sound delightful!
Bear stories are so inviting, and these are excellent. Just posted the second half of the list.
Oh, good! I’ll check it out.
I hope it’s ok for adults to read these. Some sound wonderful.
Absolutely! You must read Finding Winnie, Dan. I know you like history. And whenever you see that gold or silver emblem on the cover, that means it won.
🙂
I was born in Winnipeg (Where Winnie got his name) so he was always my hero. I think he still is.
Yes!! I hope he is still a local hero there. Imagine that long train ride a ride across Canada back then!
My first train ride was from Winnipeg to Kirkland Lake, Ontario. Very cool for a child. We had sleeper car! It was a VERY long time ago.
Just wonderful! And yes, very cool for a kid. My coolest train ride was in 1964. Not so long ago. 🙂
Some great stories there! I also like Hugless Douglas, and The Bear Snores On!
I love Bear Snores On! I don’t know Hugless Douglas. I will check it out. Thanks, Ritu!
There are a few of his books!
Yes, quite a few!
🙂
Some great bear books out there! Here is a secret, the story of the Three bears scared me when I was very little. It actually gave me nightmares. I was an odd child.
Fairy tales can be very scary. Sometimes I scare a child if I use a big Papa Bear voice. I really don’t think you were an odd child, Darlene. 🙂
I have to say I never tired of reading Brown Bear to our youngest. Her excitement made it all the more fun. Almost like it was a new book each time.
The book is still that way today, John. Isn’t that wonderful?
It is. 😀
Those are great books, Jennie! Brown Bear, Brown Bear is a favorite here.
I have to agree it is one of the best! Thank you, Deborah.
A lovely list… but if Paddington isn’t on your part 2 Jeanie I’m afraid I will have to sit in the corner and comfort eat marmalade…
I love, love Paddington! I think my favorite story is when he goes to the circus. Do you know how hard it was to pick only 10 bear books? 🙂 Part 2 is the rest of the Bear books in the photo. Just posted. So please don’t sit in the corner, just eat the marmalade. Best to you, Geoff.
I don’t know if you ever saw the post I did on my debt to Paddington on the occasion of Michael Bond’s death. I received a touching email from his granddaughter after that, saying how much he would have approved! Quite made my year, that.
Big Wow!! Please, please send the link! I’m walking out the door to school and will read it this evening. I was fortunate to see his exhibit at the Eric Carle Museum. More later. Gotta run…
https://geofflepard.com/2017/06/28/michael-bond-creator-of-paddington-bear-1926-2017-inmemoriam-michaelbond-paddingtonbear/ there you go. It’s longish but it certainly came from the heart. It’s also a tribute to the great education and educators I had without whom my life would never have been so rich. And what I fail to mention in the post is that, without Paddington I would not have gone to university, or at least the one I went to and I would not have met my wife of nearly 40 years. Yep I owe him so much!
Wow. Big wow! Sometimes those one or two word phrases say far more than eloquent words. My English teacher would be horrified, and I always have a twinge of guilt when I write like that. This was a fabulous read. More importantly, it shows what a difference children’s books make in our lives. Your story of Paddington is deeply personal and moving. It is just wonderful. Thank you, Geoff. I need to post this as an epilogue to my bear posts, because many bloggers love Paddington, and because your story captures it all.
Please feel free! I’m with you that stories can be so important, not just in their own enjoyment but in the shared experience. I was with a group of old friends and the subject of Little Women, the film came up. Soon that opened up reminiscences between especially the women, taking them back to their childhoods, finding common ground that they didn’t know was there, having grown up in different places and times but all benefitting from the imagination stimulated by some simple words on a page. Writing a story is the ultimate in creating Michelin starred mindfood, isn’t it? Share it and the joys are manifold
Yes, indeed! I wish you could be a guest reader in my classroom, Paddington of course. 🙂
When I’m in you’re area next!
That would be awesome!
I like the look of Iver and Ellsworth, Jennie. 🙂
Best wishes, Pete.
That look was what drew me to the book, too. 🙂 The story and illustrations lived up to my hopes. Best to you, Pete.
there are so many books that can be pulled into a diverse collection of stories. I love providing these collections to my students so they can see how much they can enjoy and learn from books
Well said! I feel the same way.
I will wait for section two before I add my bears.
Looking forward to it!
Great list. People with little kids would appreciate that.
Thank you, Anneli. 🙂
Great selections, Jennie! 🙂 Sharing…
Thank you, Bette! 🙂
I remember reading “We’re going on a bear hunt” to my children. Great selection Jennie 🙂
It’s a great book. I’m glad it reminded you of reading to your children. Thank you!
A lovely selection of children’s books, Jennie. You can see Eric Carle’s style of illustrating for the cover of the brown bear book.
Yes! He set his style in this book.
You have a few of my favourites and a couple of unknowns in there, Jennie. A lovely selection. Thank you.
I love that kind of a mix! 🙂
More great reads and many familiar ones. 🙂 🙂
Thank you, Diana. 🙂
These are great recommendations. I would have to include Peace at Last on my list and just anything Paddington related!
Thank you! You are right on your recommendations. I included Paddington in my reblog of the death of the author Michael Bond.