Don’t Wake the Bear, Hare!

Text: Steve Smallman

Illustrator: Caroline Pedler

Year: 2010

Publisher: Little Tiger Press, London

Age: 3 and above

No. of Pages: 28

ISBN: 978 1 84895 032 0

Here’s another adorable grumpy bear story. :-) (One of my favorites - Gruff the Grump.)

All the little animals of the forest are getting ready for Spring Party Day. They include badger, fox, hare, mice and the ants too!

They tiptoe around and organize the party very quietly so as to not disturb the hibernating bear. If he does wake up, he’s going to be very hungry and grumpy.

Best of all, this story is told in catchy, rhyming verse with illustrations that are witty and colorful. And, oh yes, there are plenty of opportunities for your little ones to engage in sounds – grr… humph… zzzzz…:-)

Excerpt

The lanterns were carefully hung in the trees.

The mice tied up ribbons that danced on the breeze.

They brought in the very last blueberry tart

And their party was now almost ready to start!

The Old Tree Stump - Read at Home - Level 3a

Author: Roderick Hunt

Illustrator: Alex Brychta

Year: 2005

Publisher: Oxford University Press, UK

Age: 4 and above

No. of Pages: 22

ISBN: 978-0-19838-414-9

Website: Read at Home series

Another delightful tale from the Read at Home series featuring Biff, Chip, Kipper and Floppy’s family.

This book is about pulling out an old but stubborn tree stump out of the ground. All the family members chip in pulling at the stump with a rope but the stump doesn't budge. Finally, Floppy does the trick!

Like all the other books in this series, there are simple language exercises at the end of the book for little ones.

Other titles in the Read at Home series include:

• Funny Fish
• Silly Races
• Dad’s Birthday
• Poor Old Rabbit
• I Can Trick a Tiger
• Floppy and the Bone
• Looking after Gran, Review here
• The Real Floppy
• The Spaceship
• Hungry Floppy
• Husky Adventure

Excerpt

Kipper wanted to help.

“Come on, then,” said Dad. “When I shout pull … PULL!”

They pulled and they pulled but the stump still didn't come up.

Pete and Polo: Nursery Adventure

By Adrian Reynolds

Year: 1999

Publisher: Orchard Books, London

Age: 3 and above

No. of Pages: 32

ISBN: 978 1 84362 845 7

The first day of school is an occasion of trepidation for most children. This Pete and Polo book tries to make the unfamiliar day friendly with a gentle story about Pete and his beloved Polo, a stuffed polar bear. Pete is apprehensive at first. He slowly begins to talk to others and eventually, enjoys his day.

Excerpt

When they arrived at nursery school, there were lots of Mums and Dads and children. 

It was very noisy. All the other children had brought their teddy bears too.  

Don’t Wake Mr. Bear

By Jill Newton

Year: 2011

Publisher: Egmont UK Ltd., London

Age: 4 and above

No. of Pages: 32

ISBN: 978-1-40524-966-9

Winter is about to arrive at the forest. Dormouse has the squirrels, rabbits and the wood pigs play a soft, soothing forest lullaby so the animals can sleep through the winter.

Just then, a band of loud wolves on holiday pass through and make a rumpus so loud that Mr. Bear is awakened.

And then it’s all boom, crash and bang but not quite the way you imagine it! :-)

I loved the humorous story-line that subtly attempts to teach children about how a forest prepares for winter.  

Excerpt

Out of the car came the wolves’ drums, and their lights, and their speakers.

“Go away!” begged the rabbits. “You’ll wake Mr. Bear!”

“We don’t care about a silly old bear!” sang the wolves.  

Milly, Molly and Special Friends

Text: Gill Pittar

Illustrator: Cris Morrell

Year: 2003

Publisher: Milly Molly Books, New Zealand

Age: 4 and above

No. of Pages: 24

ISBN: 978 1 87733 673 4

Some friends are very special and this book featuring Milly and Molly is devoted to those special people in our lives.

These special people bring love and warmth into our lives. Our days become brighter and happier because of them. They are our parents, our grandparents and our loved ones.

The book encourages children to recognize and appreciate all the special people and moments in their lives.

Excerpt

“I like Gran’s powdery smell when she reads me stories,” said Elizabeth.

“I like it when Dad lets me reel in his fish,” said Tom.

“And I like it on Monday when my sheets smell like sunshine,” said Milly. 

Albert and Sarah Jane

Author: Malachy Doyle

Illustrator: Jo Parry

Year: 2007

Publisher: QED Publishing, UK

Age: 3 and above

No. of Pages: 22

ISBN: 978 1 84538 895 9

Before you arrive at any conclusions about the names in the title of this book, I’d like to inform you that they belong to a dog and a cat, respectively. Actually, they're pets in the same household.

Albert likes his food.  And Sarah Jane’s fishy nibbles too. One day, he gets carried away with eating and ends up polishing off the cat’s food too.

Sarah Jane is very upset and takes matter into her own hands. 

It’s a fun story in a cheeky-sort of way and the illustrations complete the package.

Excerpt

Albert spotted Sarah Jane through the upstairs window.

He smiled at her, in a doggy sort of way, but Sarah Jane ignored him.

So, Albert slipped out of the house, went round to next door’s doorstep, sat himself down by the cat’s flap, and howled.

“Come home, Sarah Jane!” he cried. 

Daniel: Little Children’s Bible Books

Text: Anne de Graaf, Wikipedia

Illustrations: Jose Perez Montero

Year: 1998

Publisher: Scandinavia Publishing House, Copenhagen

Age: 2 and above

No. of Pages: 38

ISBN: 978 8 77247 627 3

The Little Children’s Bible Books make stories from the Bible interesting with short sentences, little words and light-hearted illustrations.

The inspirational life of Daniel is superbly narrated in this book in relevant terms and tones for little ones of the twenty-first century. A cheery, little lion cub acts as a guide of sorts through the narrative with comments and queries to encourage little ones to think and help apply invaluable lessons from Daniel’s life to their own.

Excerpt

They had to eat like Babylonians, drink like Babylonians and pray like Babylonians. 

Finally, Daniel told his teachers, “No! We’re not like you. We’re different.”

The Playground Problem (Robin Hill School) – Ready to Read: Level 1

Author: Margaret McNamara

Illustrator: Mike Gordon

Year: 2004

Publisher: Aladdin Paperbacks, New York

Age: 4 and above

No. of Pages: 32

ISBN: 978 0 68985 876 5

Website: Ready to Read

There is a problem at the school playground. The boys do not allow Emma to play soccer with them because “…girls do not play soccer.”

Emma finds a way, of course, as little girls always do! :-)

This book, its illustrations included, will make you smile.

This is a Ready-to-Read Level-1 (starting to read) book which features simple stories with increased vocabulary and longer sentences.

Excerpt

On Tuesday, the girls ran out to the playground.

They had a soccer ball.

They played soccer.

“Hey!” said Reza. “The girls can play soccer.”

One, Two Buckle My Shoe

Illustrated by Eric Smith

For Ages: 2 and above

No. of Pages: 20

Publisher: Armadillo Books, Leicester

Year: 2002

It’s just a popular nursery rhyme but it’s got a book devoted to it! 

Each line is complimented by a colorful painting and a clever thread runs through the illustrations to connect the lines of the rhyme which otherwise, seem quite disjointed. 

Clue: A little girl in red.

I could not help but notice the extraordinarily thick paper used for the book, obviously targeting a young audience but not young enough to merit board pages.   

Excerpt

Eleven, twelve, dig and delve

Thirteen, fourteen, maids a-courting

Fifteen, sixteen, maids in the kitchen

Seventeen, eighteen, maids in waiting

Nineteen, twenty, my plate’s empty!