Bears, Bears, Everywhere Book

This beginning-to-read series, "Rookie Readers", will score easily with early readers. These very simple books focus on different aspects of language usage. Colorful, action pictures and familiar, everyday activities will interest and motivate young readers. A word list is included in each book. The "Rookie Readers" were prepared under the direction of Robert Hillerich, Ph.D.

Candice Ransom - Children's Literature

In this counting book, stuffed bears multiply like bunnies and turn up in threes, dresser drawers, and closets. The little girl narrator can scarcely keep up as "One bear in the air" becomes "Two bears on the stairs," and so on. This cute book suffers from uneven rhythm. The reader is nicely settling into the pattern when Milios breaks it. "Look! I see three in a tree," and "There are four more behind the door" seem jarring after the first couplet. The internal rhyme set up in the beginning is dropped in subsequent stanzas. Clumsy language prevents this Level B "Rookie Reader" from becoming an excellent counting book. Heavily outlined illustrations express the emotions of the narrator and the zany cast of bears. The best spread shows eight hungry bears, felt tongues hanging out in anticipation, as the narrator spreads honey on her bread. Back matter consists of a word list. 2003, Children's Press/Scholastic,