Today is National Teddy Bear Day! We love cuddling up with our bears and a book so here are some beary good suggestions for you to add to your list.
Teddy Bear of the Year
By Vikki VanSickle
Illustrated by Sydney Hanson
40 Pages | Ages 3-7 | Hardcover
ISBN 9780735263925 | Tundra Books
Ollie is a regular bear with a regular job. He listens to his girl’s stories about her days, he snuggles her to sleep and he is there waiting when she gets home from school. Just your typical teddy bear stuff. So when he is whisked away to the annual teddy bears’ picnic, he feels insignificant compared to the other bears who do daring and daunting things: sleepovers, hospital stays-even a night in the lost and found! Ollie feels even more small and unimportant but he soon learns that it’s not just the big things that matter, it’s the little things too.
Ages 2-5
A Bear is a Bear (except when he’s not)
By Karl Newson
Illustrated by Anuska Allepuz
32 Pages | Ages 2-5 | Board Book
ISBN 9781536212020 | Nosy Crow
When Bear wakes up early from his hibernation, he can’t remember what he is! Is he a bird? Or a moose? Maybe a fox? Just when it seems like Bear won’t be able to figure it out, he finds his cave and decides another nap might help. Will Bear be able to remember what he is when he wakes up again in the spring?
Bear is Awake!
By Hannah E. Harrison
32 Pages | Ages 2-5 | Hardcover
ISBN 9780399186660 | Dial BFYR
Suddenly “awake” in the middle of winter, a “big bear” explores a “cozy cabin,” which Bear of course “enters excitedly.” But the cabin isn’t empty–a little girl lives there. So begins an unlikely friendship and an unexpected adventure as the girl attempts to figure out what a bear is supposed to be doing in the winter. (Hint: It’s not eating pancakes or visiting the library!). With her trademark humor and warmth, Hannah E. Harrison puts her own irresistible spin on the classic alphabet book. The result is a story families will treasure for years to come.
The Best Kind of Bear
By Greg Gormley
Illustrated by David Barrow
32 Pages | Ages 2-5 | Hardcover
ISBN 9781536208238 | Nosy Crow
When Nelly asks Bear what kind of bear he is, he isn’t entirely sure how to answer. So off he goes to find out. But none of the different bears he meets on his travels are like him. Grizzly bears don’t have stitching; polar bears don’t have tags attached to their bottoms; spectacled bears are not as soft and bouncy as Bear is; and sun bears never wear bow ties. Disheartened, he returns to Nelly…only to discover what kind of bear he is – her own special bear!
The Boy and the Bear
By Tracey Corderoy
Illustrated by Sarah Massini
32 Pages | Ages 2-5 | Hardcover
ISBN 9781536208146 | Nosy Crow
When a lonely little boy receives an invitation to play written on a paper boat, it seems that he has finally found the best friend he’s been longing for. But Bear isn’t quite the playmate the boy had imagined. Bear may not know how to play games, but when he starts to build a tree house, the boy is intrigued and a magical summer begins. As autumn passes and the first winter snowflakes start to fall, the boy is left alone. Only then does he truly realize how much he misses Bear. It’s a happy reunion when Bear finally returns in the spring.
There’s a Bear on My Chair
By Ross Collins
24 Pages | Ages 2-5 | Board Book
ISBN 9781536200140 | Nosy Crow
Poor Mouse! A bear has settled in his favorite chair, and that chair just isn’t big enough for two. Mouse tries all kinds of tactics to move pesky Bear, but nothing works. Once Mouse has gone, Bear gets up and walks home. But what’s that? Is that a mouse in Bear’s house?
Ages 3-7
A Bedtime Yarn
By Nicola Winstanley
Illustrated by Olivia Chin Mueller
32 Pages | Ages 3-7 | Hardcover
ISBN 9781101918081 | Tundra Books
Frankie is a little bear who has a hard time falling asleep. The dark is scary, and he hates to be alone. So his mother gives him a ball of yarn to hold when he goes to bed, and she keeps the other end in the next room, working it into a surprise for Frankie. Every few nights the yarn color changes, and Frankie dreams in all the colors that he and his mother pick out. Eventually Frankie and his mother create something special–and Frankie learns that he’s always connected to those he loves, even when he’s alone in the dark. A beautiful story of love and crafting, A Bedtime Yarn will appeal to knitters, sleepy little bears and any parents dealing with their child’s fear of the dark.
A Story for Small Bear
By Alice B. McGinty
Illustrated by Richard Jones
40 Pages | Ages 3-7 | Hardcover
ISBN 9781984852274 | Schwartz & Wade
Autumn is ending and a chilly breeze is drifting in, which can mean only one thing– it’s time to hibernate over the long winter. But before Small Bear does, she’d like for Mama to tell her some stories. Mama agrees, with one condition: all the preparation must get done– no dilly, no dally. So Small Bear tries to be good, venturing off to find sprigs for her winter bed, splishing and splashing in the stream, and climbing up, up, up into the tall forest trees in search of acorns. When she finally returns home, Small Bear snuggles down with Mama in their den. Did she make it back in time? “You did,” Mama answers, and pulls her in close. And then Mama tells the most wonderful tale of a little bear–just like Small Bear–who, while enjoying the world around her, saved just enough time for stories.
A Visitor for Bear
By Bonny Becker
Illustrated by Kady MacDonald Denton
56 Pages | Ages 3-7 | Paperback
ISBN 9780763646110 | Candlewick Press
Bear is quite sure he doesn’t like visitors. He even has a sign. So when a mouse taps on his door one day, Bear tells him to leave. But the mouse – who keeps popping up in the most unexpected places – just won’t go away! Cheery persistence wears down the curmudgeonly Bear in a wry comedy of manners that ends in a most unlikely friendship.
Bear’s Book
By Claire Freedman
Illustrated by Alison Friend
34 Pages | Ages 3-7 | Hardcover
ISBN 9781536205718 | Templar
When Bear’s favorite book of stories falls apart, he is determined to write one of his own. He ventures into the forest for inspiration, but writing is harder than he thinks, and he soon discovers that he needs help from his friends. See how Bear transforms their day into a wonderful adventure in this story about creativity and friendship.
Bear Goes Sugaring
By Maxwell Eaton, III
32 Pages | Ages 3-7 | Hardcover
ISBN 9780823444489 | Neal Porter Books
Every step of the process of making maple syrup is covered in this sweet (but never saccharine) informational picture book by Maxwell Eaton III, the creator of the popular “Truth About” series. It begins with Bear assembling the tools she’ll need for the project, continues with a discussion of the types of maples found in the area and why sugar maples are best for tapping, then on to drilling, tapping, evaporation and at the end of the process, real maple syrup and best of all, PANCAKES!
Bear Needs Help
By Sarah S. Brannen
32 Pages | Ages 3-7 | Hardcover
ISBN 9780525516507 | Philomel BFYR
A lumbering little polar bear has one shoe untied, and he needs some help! Sadly for him, though, the other animals are all too scared of him: the lemmings, rabbits, and seals all run away as he approaches them for assistance. What’s Bear going to do? Luckily, two plucky birds are more than happy to help out and offer advice — though probably not quite in the way that readers anticipate. In this sweet and funny book about asking for help (and receiving it), expectations are flipped in a simple but clever way.
Nothing Can Frighten a Bear
By Elizabeth Dale
Illustrated by Paula Metcalf
32 Pages | Ages 3-7 | Hardcover
ISBN 9780763696276 | Nosy Crow
Daddy Bear insists he’s the scariest creature in the forest – didn’t you know that nothing can frighten a bear? When a noise in the night awakens Baby Bear, he starts to believe maybe there is something scarier out there than Daddy Bear. The bears set out to investigate. But as the monsters vanish one by one, it looks like Daddy Bear might not be so brave after all! This hilarious, rhyming text about bedtime frights is a perfect read-aloud with a funny refrain.
The Bear Ate Your Sandwich
By Julia Sarcone-Roach
40 Pages | Ages 3-7 | Hardcover
ISBN 9781984852090 | Dragonfly Books
So begins Julia Sarcone-Roach’s delicious tale of a bear, lost in the city, who happens upon an unattended sandwich in the park. The bear’s journey from forest to city and back home again is full of happy accidents, funny encounters, and sensory delights. The story is so engrossing, it’s not until the very end that we begin to suspect this is a TALL tale. The wonderfully told story, spectacular illustrations, and surprise ending make this Julia Sarcone-Roach’s best book to date. You’ll want to share it with your friends (and keep a close eye on your lunch).
Ages 4-8
Elbert, the Curious Clock Tower Bear
By Andrew Prahin
40 Pages | Ages 4-8 | Hardcover
ISBN 9780525513988 | Putnam BFYR
Unlike the other mechanical bears in the village clock tower, Elbert can’t help but notice all the marvelous things around him–snow falling in winter, fireworks in the night sky, the magnificent stag standing in the cobbled street below. But when Elbert’s growing curiosity threatens to disrupt the orderly life of the clock tower, the other bears decide Elbert must go. What’s a small bear with a big curiosity to do? Explore, of course! And maybe even find a way to spread his inquisitive spirit. Here’s the perfect book for readers young and old who believe that staying curious is more important than following the rules.
I Want My Hat Back
By Jon Klassen
40 Pages | Ages 4-8 | Hardcover
ISBN 9780763655983 | Candlewick Press
The bear’s hat is gone, and he wants it back. Patiently and politely, he asks the animals he comes across, one by one, whether they have seen it. Each animal says no, some more elaborately than others. But just as the bear begins to despond, a deer comes by and asks a simple question that sparks the bear’s memory and renews his search with a vengeance. Told completely in dialogue, this delicious take on the classic repetitive tale plays out in sly illustrations laced with visual humor and winks at the reader with a wry irreverence that will have kids of all ages thrilled to be in on the joke.
The Bear in My Family
By Maya Tatsukawa
32 Pages | Ages 4-8 | Hardcover
ISBN 9780525555827 | Dial BFYR
“I live with a bear,” the story’s young narrator declares. The bear is loud, messy, uncouth, and very strong (too strong!). For some reason, his parents treat the bear like family, despite his protests. Why can’t they see? Then he runs into some bullies on the playground. When the bear ROOAARS with all her might and scares them away, he realizes that there are advantages to having a bear in the family. In a delightful twist, the narrator’s older sister (the bear) appears, telling him that she is NOT a bear. But if she is, HE is too–because two bears are even better than one!
The Bear Must Go On
By Dev Petty
Illustrated by Brandon Todd
40 Pages | Ages 4-8 | Hardcover
ISBN 9781984837479 | Philomel BFYR
Bear and his woodland friends are putting on a show, and there are lots of plans to be made. Their curtains need sequins! Their hats must be very, very tall! And their tickets have to be shiny! (No one will come if the tickets are dull.). Behind the scenes, shy Bear takes notes on every detail until his paws ache. But at least he won’t have to go on stage. He could NEVER do that!. . . Or could he? In this uproarious tale of theatrical mishaps told with hilariously endearing art, four woodland friends bring down the house–and have plenty of fun along the way.
The Invisible Bear
By Cécile Metzger
40 Pages | Ages 4-8 | Hardcover
ISBN 9780735266872 | Tundra Books
A bear sits in his quiet, colorless home in a forgotten place. He feels invisible; no one comes to see him, and he spends his days alone. Then someone moves in next door. Madame Odette is sound and sunshine, and at first, the bear isn’t sure about this colorful new neighbor. But through an act of kindness, the bear and the Madame Odette meet, and as time goes by, they become friends. And in the end, they are both forever changed by the gifts they bring each other.
All Ages
We’re Going on a Bear Hunt
By Michael Rosen
Illustrated by Helen Oxenbury
40 Pages | All Ages | Paperback
ISBN 9780744523232 | Candlewick Press
Go on a bear hunt and do the actions with this award-winning picture book classic. Follow and join in the family’s excitement as they wade through the grass, splash through the river and squelch through the mud in search of a bear. What a surprise awaits them in the cave on the other side of the dark forest.
