Old Bear

by Kevin Henkes

Book Overview

A celebration of simple, pure joy* from Caldecott medalist Kevin Henkes. New York Times bestseller!

Old Bear lumbers to his cave to hibernate till spring. In his dreams, he is a cub again, exploring the seasons--summer, fall, winter, and spring.

When he finally awakes, Old Bear is so happy to find the outside world waiting for him, just as beautiful as in his dreams.

"As in so many of Henkes's books, nothing is...

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0061552054
• ISBN13: 9780061552052
• Release Date: August 2008
• Publisher: Greenwillow Books
• Length: 32 Pages
• Weight: 1.08 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.3" x 10.1" x 10.2"
• Age Range: 2 to 7 years
• Grade Range: Preschool to Grade 2

Customer Reviews

This lovely, snuggly book would be a perfect read on a cold winter's night!

The brown old bear was snuggled up by the time the snow began to swirl outside his den. The last of the oak and maple leaves began to fall with the first flakes. He started to dream of spring when the lupines, daffodils and tulips sprang from the earth and began to bloom. The butterflies were flitting around and he dreamed that "he was a cub again." Everything was so oversized that he was able to curl up in a crocus. Next he "dreamed that it was summer" and the "sun was a daisy and the leaves were butterflies." His smiley face looked up to the clouds that were sprinkling blueberries. What a dream! Autumn soon arrived in his dream. The colors of autumn surrounded him and "even the birds and the fish and the water" had those tints. Next he dreamed of winter where everything around him "was covered in ice." The sky was dotted with "stars of all colors." He was still fast asleep, snuggled in his den and protected from the elements. He turned this way and that and that way and this. Yawn! The old bear was waking up. What would he see when he came out of his den? This is one of those lovely, snuggly books that are wonderful to read on a cold winter's night when everyone is anxious for spring to arrive. The storyline and text mesh perfectly and await little hands that will eagerly turn the pages for you when you read. This book and a stuffed brown bear to snuggle up with would be a perfect gift!

Father Bear

Snug and warm, Old Bear sleeps for winter. Dreaming of spring and being a cub again, he travels through a daisy sun summer and yellow and orange autumn to an ice covered winter. Old Bear sleeps and dreams only to melt away the winter into spring. He wakes up to a beautiful spring day, as if no time has passed. This father bear story will be loved by 2-5-year-old children the whole year long.

Happiness is a child's book

Bought this for a little friend of mine and understand that she is incredibly happy when her mother reads it to her at bedtime.

Old bear

I loved this book. Simple idea but richly presented.You could imagine being there with OLD BEAR as he slept and dreamed. Recommended.

Encourages Imagination

Reviewed by Cayden (age 4) and Max (age 2) Aures and Mom for Reader Views (8/08) "Old Bear" is the story of a bear hibernating in the winter and dreaming that he is a cub again. He dreams of sleeping in a giant crocus, clouds raining blueberries, and all of the leaves being butterflies. Max: "Bear sleeping." Cayden: "He is hibernating because it is winter and that is what bears do when it snows." Max: "Sleep in flower!" Cayden: "That is a real big flower if it can hold that bear!" Cayden: "Why is the sun made out of that flower? And look at all of those butterflies!" Max: "Blueberries!" Cayden: "I would like it if it rained blueberries! We like blueberries a lot!" Cayden: "Why is everything yellow, brown and orange? I wouldn't like it if that was how everything looked." Max: "Stars!" Cayden: "They are all different colors in the sky!" Cayden: "He woke up now and winter is done." Cayden: "My favorite part was when it rained blueberries!" Max: "Me too!" Parent's comments: "Old Bear" by Kevin Henkes is a creative book that encourages children to think outside of the box. My boys had a great time imagining a world where all of the leaves were butterflies, and where it rained blueberries! The illustrations in the book did an excellent job to complement the storyline and we really had a fun time being a part of "Old Bear's" dream sequence!