Love the art, and all the sounds and smells. I wonder if it's too heady (or if even the concept of a memory is) for the 4- and 5-year olds I write witLove the art, and all the sounds and smells. I wonder if it's too heady (or if even the concept of a memory is) for the 4- and 5-year olds I write with -- I'm looking forward to trying it out!...more
Favorite things: the mean-eyed family-fish coming to tell Hungry Bear what's what. And how the drama gets told in so few words.
I read this to six claFavorite things: the mean-eyed family-fish coming to tell Hungry Bear what's what. And how the drama gets told in so few words.
I read this to six classrooms of 4- and 5-year olds and except for the moment when the bear snatches the fish (which gripped us all every time) there was never a consistent reaction to this book. And I get that: because it doesn't make sense. What would make a hungry bear -- a BEAR who is HUNGRY let the fish go?? Sure, the little fish's family is intimidating. But not only are they gone when the big decision gets decided, they're no real threat. He's a BEAR fer godsakes. And that's my other trouble: what are we gaining by pretending animals are not the animals they are?
I believe the book is basically on track until the "unaware" page, at which point it all falls apart.
The verb-page is overloaded. You have to remember you are thinking of the fish: and that the FISH is the one being unaware of something. And then maybe ? you start imagining what the fish could be unaware of. But when the reveal hits: that it is a Jesus-like bear that Fish was unaware of -- well. That kind of takes the wind out of all the sails. You're like, whew. And also like, well, if you were Jesus why were you messing with me in the first place? Wtf. I have all my fish-adrenaline going and I'll be dealing with *that* for a while, thank you very much, Hungry Bear.
Also: we leave the story with the suggestion that the bear will actually feast on either human (picnic) leftovers or (given how hungry Hungry Bear is) maybe whole humans. Where's the comfort in that? Maybe it's a relief that Bear is finally playing with kids they're own size?
Despite all this confusion, the book was a fine one for getting us started thinking about wishes: Who do you want to think about and what do you think they wish? What do *you* wish?...more
LOVE the art, but wish the translation put the verbs in future tense. It was a stumble of a read. (I wish it said "Later when I'm big... I'll pick musLOVE the art, but wish the translation put the verbs in future tense. It was a stumble of a read. (I wish it said "Later when I'm big... I'll pick mushrooms... sleep beside bats.")
I was also a little confused by the fact there were two characters (the girl and her bunny) -- gah! -- despite the fact I love a complication (and bunny friends). But it's just that sometimes the bunny gets to do the things and not the girl...
This book was a fun way to launch writing about what we will (and won't do) when we're "big."...more
Love the art. Love the progression of bears and chairs, and that it took several reads to discover that. Appreciated the introduction of "tiny" midwayLove the art. Love the progression of bears and chairs, and that it took several reads to discover that. Appreciated the introduction of "tiny" midway through. I kept wishing for even more variation of opposites, but maybe that would have cluttered the book.
This book let my preschool writers think, talk and draw big and little things, and try out other pairs....more
Love the art and characters, and the turn from fantastic to realistic. There's a little disconnect for me between the animal information and the messaLove the art and characters, and the turn from fantastic to realistic. There's a little disconnect for me between the animal information and the message of unconditional love. I want it to work, and it almost does in the domestic section. (The kids mostly were interested in the animal facts."
And yet, 4-year-old Ma'Kayla and I played around with the phrase and she wrote this:
If my daddy turned into a potato, I would say, “I love you, Dad.”
I actually teared up at the end the first time I read this. There's a lovely mix of facts, patterned and figurative language here. After reading to a grI actually teared up at the end the first time I read this. There's a lovely mix of facts, patterned and figurative language here. After reading to a group, I always ask the children which page they want to see again; maybe not surprisingly, a majority said the last page -- where the baby is fine and heading off into the world.
I love how the text didn't try to diminish (too much) the fox's predatory nature. (Okay, maybe it did a little.)...more
I read this all week to groups of 4-year olds and it was clear exactly where they lost interest -- and where they were scooped back in. (Almost alwaysI read this all week to groups of 4-year olds and it was clear exactly where they lost interest -- and where they were scooped back in. (Almost always thanks to the animals.)
And even after all this time *I'm* still trying to wrap my head around the sun-centric view of the story. I love it. But my head says, uh, it's uh, the Earth that... oh never mind. It's fun to think of the sun this way.
p.s. I'm still not sure who Coco is! (The person or the dog?) I think I wish I knew for sure right up front....more
The more I read it (to children) the more I felt the discovery of it -- the patterns, the well-paced surprises, the returning comforts. I especially lThe more I read it (to children) the more I felt the discovery of it -- the patterns, the well-paced surprises, the returning comforts. I especially loved the art for "the mystery of sleep." The landscapes, the chainlink fence -- so wonderful. (I wish I loved the children's faces, but they less resolved than I wished.)
The 4 year olds were beguiled by the very last scene at the park (they called it a "fair"), in particular, the dinosaur. (The least important element, in my opinion, but maybe this means they weren't as engaged as I was throughout. : /)...more
Came for the rhythm of the phrases. Stayed for the acorns (that most of the children saw as eggs, which I enjoyed). (I also enjoyed the pause in the tCame for the rhythm of the phrases. Stayed for the acorns (that most of the children saw as eggs, which I enjoyed). (I also enjoyed the pause in the text to wonder what the squirrels are thinking about. A surprising number of the kids said, "Getting water." They were fascinated with the squirrel drinking out of a puddle.)
I don't admire squirrels any more than I did before, but I don't admire them less!...more
An invigorating array of pairs with art I love to pieces.
Love the "inside/outside" art. Never got excited about the "young/old" people. "Day/night" waAn invigorating array of pairs with art I love to pieces.
Love the "inside/outside" art. Never got excited about the "young/old" people. "Day/night" was a constant favorite.
And. The 4-year olds I read this with were magnetized by the baby with the hammer. (I admit. It's disconcerting.) One boy had me write, "The baby is awake. She turned so creepy. The mom and dad, they're died." On the next page he drew a giant pool of blood: "The blood come to the house."...more
Seven jobs! One for each day of the week. I love how this book begins with the somewhat expected and wanders into the less and less expected, and thenSeven jobs! One for each day of the week. I love how this book begins with the somewhat expected and wanders into the less and less expected, and then takes us back home.
The illustrations are so warm and inviting, with so much lovely space to live in.
The kids were fascinated by the hats, and by the diver. ("Why he naked?" they asked. "Well," I kept saying, he's got a swim suit on. "What he doing?" The truth is, I'm not sure what he's trying to catch in his net. Shells? Flesh-colored fish?)
I loved asking kids how many bears they wanted to live with. (Answers ranged from 600 to none.)...more
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