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Library | Call Number | Status |
|---|---|---|
Searching... McMinnville Public Library | Fox | Searching... Unknown |
Searching... Mount Angel Public Library | Hibernation Bundle | Searching... Unknown |
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Summary
Summary
Winter is here, and in winter, bears sleep. But how do you convince six not-so-sleepy bear cubs to go to bed? Mother Bear, of course, has found a way--with a cozy rhyme for each of them. Once again, beloved author Mem Fox enchants little ones--and their parents--with a tender bedtime story, irresistibly illustrated by Kerry Argent.
Author Notes
Mem Fox was born on March 5, 1946 in Melbourne, Australia. She attended a drama school in London. She returned to Australia where she was a college professor.
She writes children's books including Possum Magic, Night Noises, Wilfrid Gordon McDonald Partridge, Time for Bed, Koala Lou, Wombat Divine, Ten Little Fingers and Ten Little Toes, Hello Baby!, A Giraffe in the Bath (co-written with Olivia Rawson), Count Goats!, and The Little Dragon. She has also written several books for adults.
She has received numerous awards including the 1990 Dromkeen Medal for distinguished services to children's literature, a 1991 Advance Australia Award for her outstanding contribution to Australian literature, and a medal in the 1993 Australia Day Honours awards for services to the cultural life of Australia.
(Bowker Author Biography)
Reviews (5)
School Library Journal Review
PreS-Gr 1-A cleverly written bedtime book with very distinct characters, each with its own hibernation-time rhyme. Mother Bear tucks in her six cubs, sending them off on dreamy adventures. Baxter dreams of pirates, Bella of the circus, Winifred of the jungle, Tosca of kingdoms, Ali of divine foods, and Baby Bear of moonbeams. "And all of them slept until spring." The rhymes are well written, and the charming pictures, done in gouache, watercolor, and colored pencil, are full of funny details. When the cubs are in bed waiting to drift off, the room is draped in a yellow hue lit by candle. Dream scenes show distant lands with the youngsters sleeping peacefully in the corners. On the penultimate page, the bears are lined up across the bed in hats or headdresses that represent their particular dreams. A fuzzy, stuffed blue elephant that plays and rests with the bears throughout the book blows out the candle on the final page. A fanciful story that's sure to be popular.-Shelley Woods, Boston Public Library, MA (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Publisher's Weekly Review
Mother Bear's six children are balking at bedding down for the winter, but she coaxes them under the patchwork quilt with a clever stratagem: each cub gets a personalized bedtime rhyme. Baxter Bear hears about a pirate adventure: "Raise the skull and crossbones,/ Breathe the salty air,/ Find your treasure, count your gold,/ And sleep without a care!" In Tosca Bear's rhyme, the aspiring princess wears "a crown of diamonds for your head,/ And gorgeous gowns of silken thread." By the end, everyone is fast asleep, and it's up to a stuffed elephant to blow out the bedroom candle. Argent (previously paired with Fox for Wombat Divine) depicts the various bedtime fantasies with gusto in double-page, full-bleed spreads; one tableau showing a cub/hunter holding onto a magnificently rendered tiger by the tail is particularly striking. Following each rhyme, the book returns to the same wide-angle view of Mother and cubs under the quilt, each sleeping cub magically acquiring an accessory from his or her dream (e.g., Baxter sports an eye patch and pirate's hat; Tosca has donned crown and wimple). They look cuddly and warm, curled up together in a room suffused with golden candlelightÄitself an enticement, since most children love the idea of a family bed, whether or not their parents do. With its sweetly varied scenarios, this amiable bedtime book offers a little something for everyone. Ages 3-6. (Sept.) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
Horn Book Review
One by one, Mother Bear lulls her brood to sleep for their long winter's nap. She croons a special rhymed verse for each little bear before they drift into their quiet slumber. Argent's expressive illustrations aptly convey the transition between being awake and falling asleep with imaginative dreamscapes that complement the soothing lullabies. From HORN BOOK Spring 2000, (c) Copyright 2010. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Kirkus Review
An enchanting tale from Fox (Boo to a Goose, 1998, etc.), about a mother bear readying her six little cubs for their long winter snooze. With the onset of cooler weather, Mother Bear lures her bustling offspring into bed with the promise of one final bedtime rhyme for each sibling. With her cubs tucked in around her, Mother Bear recites lullaby poems that are as unique as the little one she is addressing. She serenades her tots with tales of swashbuckling pirates, daring trapeze artists, regal queens, and indulgent sultans. Fox's honeyed verses resonate with a mother's love and consummate understanding of her child's individualism. ``Moonbeams touch your precious face/And stars float by with gentle grace.'' Argent's amber-hued illustrations tenderly capture the cozy comfort of the bear family as they snuggle into bed by candlelight, while the more vividly colored pictures reflect the dream world Mother Bear creates. A bewitching collection of sleepy time rhymes. (Picture book. 3-6)
Booklist Review
Ages 3^-7. Mama Bear and her six cubs settle in for the winter all snuggled together in a big, cozy bed. To lull the cubs to sleep, Mama gives each a special rhyme, sending them off to dreamland with pleasant thoughts. Baxter nods off thinking about being a fearsome pirate; Bella swings from a circus trapeze; Ali dreams "of scrumptiousness all through the night." Mama's tender love for her babies shines through each verse. Argent's mixed-media pictures depict the bear family in warm, soft colored pencils and the dreams each bear envisions in crisp, vivid gouache. The contrast works well. Even very young children will be able to sort out the real world from the world of dreams. As in Koala Lou (1989), Fox depicts the comfort and security of family without ever resorting to the syrup of many "I love you" books for preschoolers. --Susan Dove Lempke