Bonny BeckerBesprekingen

Totally charming story about making friends.

Bear does not like birthdays or anything to do with them. Mouse just wants to celebrate his friend's big day. Soft watercolor illustrations add to the humor of the story.

Lovely illustrations. A cool perspective flip. A pretty pedestrian story. I'll put it in my "like" pile, but I'm not buying it for the kiddo.

Nervous Bear has a mouse over for a sleepover. Very cute illustrations and narrative, but doesn't really have an ending.½

This might be one of my favorite storytime books, and (probably) not just because I'm a librarian. Get the Bear voice right and the kids will love it, too.

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Bear does not like visitors--so much, that he had a sign on his door that said "No visitors allowed," One day, he heard a tippy-tap on his door, and found mouse standing there at his door. He turned him away, referencing the no visitor sign, and went to eat his breakfast. But when he went to get his bowl, the mouse was there in his cupboard! Each time he went to get something for his breakfast, who was there, but the little gray mouse! Then, after so many visits, the bear could finally get back to his breakfast, all alone. That is until...the mouse appeared in the tea kettle! Bear finally gives up his hunt for mouse and agreed to having cheese and tea by the fire together. The fire was nice and warm and crackled in their silence--but Bear was feeling a sense of belonging he never had before. He was so happy to hear the mouse call his fire lovely, that he began to show him his headstand and tell him a joke, and he felt so happy to have someone with him. But then, the mouse had to be on his way, and Bear was so upset. He begged the mouse to stay, and he said he had to keep his promise of no visitors allowed. Bear threw the sign, tore it up, and said, "That's for salesmen. Not for friends." Then, Mouse realized they were friends, and went back inside to enjoy time with his friend, Bear. Scholastic Book Wizard has identified this as a K-2 level story. This book could be used as a prediction book, as I can ask, "...and what do you think he found when he opened the fridge?" and students will answer, "the mouse!" In addition to being predictive, of course this story is a perfect read-aloud book. This was even recognized by the E.B. White Read Aloud Award, which I think is such a neat award I had never heard of! This story is sure to make students feel engaged, acknowledged, and excite them as we share the story together aloud. We could also have discussions about friends, how they make us feel, and how to let others in when we are having a hard time or feeling lonely. This story is such a sweet 5/5 story that I will absolutely share with my students so that they can feel the meaning of friendship and never have to feel lonely when they are in my classroom.

A great book to introduce or remind kids about library rules. Also, reading about bear's trip to the library will show kids that there are lots of wonderful books to read and they can never have enough reading material. :) Kids will also enjoy the humor.

A Visitor for Bear is a fiction picture book for children ages 2 to 5.

In the story, there is a bear who does not like visitors and a mouse who is persistent to be his friend until bear enjoys his company and rips up the "no visitors allowed" sign.

This sweet book encapsulates the joys of friendship. It clearly depicts the impact of friendship as the bear is grumpy and alone before the mouse joins him for tea and is excited and playful as they enjoy each other's company. From a literary standpoint, it is perfect for parents or teachers to read to children as it shows a great impact of friendship while it is also a perfect length with great illustrations. The book also has repetition for the students to follow along as the phrase "small and gray and bright-eyed" after each time the bear finds the mouse in his house. There are also uneasy words, such as "intolerable" and "insufferable", but they are written in large font and in a fashion in which students could easily predict what the words mean based on context clues. I enjoyed the soothing book and hope to add it to my collection when I am a teacher.

This book follows a 3rd grade class room, and their year with Ms. Plum. They experience her magical supply closet and the animals who come out of it. This is a great book about friendships and getting older.

A book about a bear who is sure he hates visitors but when a small, grey mouse appears on his doorstep one morning he discovers that breakfast for one is not nearly as much fun as tea for two.

This is a sweet read for young children about friendship, happiness and kindness. There are many lesson plans on line geared at preschool and kindergarten students. It would make a lovely discussion on the value of friendship and kindness as well as what we can do to cheer up our friends. This book isn't an excellent example of good consent practices but that discussion could be had also. Even young children can explore how to listen to each others words.

Bear has only read about Christmas, but he has agreed to have a party. When Mouse arrives, Bear is a little bit grumpy. He tells Mouse there will be pickles and a poem. Mouse is a tiny bit disappointed and bored, and Bear is annoyed. Every time Bear goes into the kitchen for something, Mouse disappears. Finally, Mouse reluctantly settles down for a long poem and pickles only to be surprised by a little Christmas cheer when he least expects it.

The Bottom Line: Fans of Bear and Mouse will enjoy this sweet and thoughtful holiday tale of friendship and giving. Denton's engaging illustrations in watercolor, ink, and gouache are soft and minimal. Enthusiastically recommended for little ones ages 4 - 7. This review also appears at the Mini Book Bytes Book Review Blog.½

When Michael McMichael boards the Thirteen Bus one gloomy November night, he immediately knows that something isn't right. The bus-driver has frightening white teeth, the other passengers are rather creepy, and the bus itself is spooky. Determined to deliver his special present to his grandmother however, he stays on the bus until he is the only passenger left, at which point he discovers that he is about to be eaten by the bus itself. Fortunately for Michael, that special gift he's bringing to his grandmother is even more terrifying than the bus, and its monstrous driver...

Having greatly enjoyed author Bonny Becker's picture-books about Bear and Mouse - A Visitor for Bear, A Birthday for Bear, etc. - I picked up The Frightful Ride of Michael McMichael with a great deal of anticipation, curious to see how the author would handle a spooky story, when her other titles (that I have read, in any case) are so heartwarming. Unfortunately, although I appreciated the story idea here, I found her text somewhat awkward. The rhyming poetry sometimes felt a little disjointed, and didn't scan very easily for me. The artwork by Mark Fearing, who has also illustrated such titles as Great, Now We've Got Barbarians!, is colorful and creepy, well-matched to the subject matter, but overall I finished the book with an indifferent feeling. It isn't terrible, but it certainly isn't the best monstrous picture-book out there.½

A Visitor for Bear is a cute and funny picture book about a bear who hates visitors and likes to be alone, but when a mouse keeps popping up around his house and continues to bother him, bear learns to love the mouse's company. This book has great illustrations and it is great book to keep children engaged as kids try to anticipate where the mouse will show up next.

Although Bear is convinced that he has all of the books he will ever need - "three about kings and queens, three about honeybees, and one about pickles" - he and Mouse head to the library in this fifth picture-book devoted to their adventures together. Mouse tries his best to find the perfect book for his persnickety friend, but Bear only gets more and more impatient, and more and more loud. Then Bear overhears the librarian telling the story of "The Very Brave Bear and the Treasure of Pickle Island," and his attitude changes...

Every bit as delightful as its predecessors, A Library Book for Bear pairs an engaging, well-written, humorous tale from American author Bonny Becker with amusing, expressive artwork from Canadian illustrator Kady MacDonald Denton. As always, I enjoyed my time with these two characters, who are well-matched, despite being so very different. Although the fifth book in the Bear and Mouse series, this is the sixth that I have read, having encountered the recently-published A Christmas for Bear this past holiday season. This means, sadly, that I have now reached the end of the available adventures of these two wonderful characters, although I certainly hope that more will be forthcoming. Recommended to anyone who has read and enjoyed other Bear and Mouse books, and to anyone searching for picture-books about odd-couple friendships, the importance of the library, and the joy of finding new stories.

Bear and Mouse are back in this fourth picture-book devoted to their doings, this time confronting illness in their very different ways. Bear, who has a cold and feels that he is on death's door, does not appreciate the cheerful insouciance of his tiny murine friend, who (in Bear's mind) does not recognize the gravity of the situation. Wise Mouse humors his ursine companion, taking no offense at his grouchiness, and when he (Mouse) becomes ill, his kindness is repaid...

Something that has struck me, in reading the previous installments of American author Bonny Becker and Canadian illustrator Kady MacDonald Denton's Bear and Mouse series, is how long they are, for picture-books. The previous two titles - A Birthday for Bear and A Bedtime for Bear - were both 46 pages, considerably longer than the 32-page average for the form. The Sniffles for Bear however, is the more standard 32 pages. Despite that fact, it manages to create quite an impact, and is every bit as amusing, heartwarming and perceptive as its predecessors. I really enjoy Becker's writing in these books - picture-book writing is undervalued as a skill, I find - and this one in particular stands out. I love the fact that there is always a little prologue, and that Mouse is always described as "small, gray and bright-eyed." There's such a droll humor to this one though, as when Mouse "looked sad, but his tail didn't." I found myself chuckling in appreciation of both characters, even as I identified more with doom and gloom Bear, than the optimistic Mouse. The accompanying watercolor, ink and gouache artwork by Denton is every bit as expressive as in previous titles, capturing the changing emotional states of its two main characters perfectly. Highly recommended, both to those who have read and enjoyed previous stories about Bear and Mouse, and to anyone looking for odd-couple friendship stories for children.

Mouse knows best once again in this third entertaining picture-book chronicling the friendship between that irrepressible bundle of murine charm and his rather persnickety, somewhat curmudgeonly ursine friend, Bear. Bear, who likes his bedtime to be just so - sleeping cap positioned just right, glass of water in the correct place, and most of all: absolute silence - finds the presence of Mouse disturbing, on the night of their first sleepover. After the predictable conflicts over noise, it is Mouse who gets to sleep first, only to be awakened by Bear, who thinks he's heard something in the dark. Clever Mouse finds a way to reassure his friend, all while letting him save face, and pretend that it is Mouse who is fearful...

Like the previous two titles in this series, A Visitor for Bear and A Birthday for Bear, A Bedtime for Bear pairs a delightfully perceptive tale from American author Bonny Becker with amusing, expressive artwork from Canadian illustrator Kady MacDonald Denton. This "odd couple friendship" tale-type seems quite popular right now in the world of picture-books - one need only think of Jory John and Benji Davies' Goodnight Already, and its sequels, for a prominent example - but Becker and Denton are the masters in the field. Somehow they always manage to create a confection of a picture-book, one that reduces me to helpless giggling at times, but also manages to be quite heartwarming. Denton's watercolor, ink and gouache illustrations capture the slyly humorous back-and-forth between the two characters perfectly, while the text maintains the ideal pacing, keeping the reader engaged. Recommended to anyone who has read and enjoyed other stories about Bear and Mouse, and to anyone looking for picture-books featuring unlikely friendships.

Bear and Mouse return in this second delightful picture-book devoted to their adventures, following upon the marvelous A Visitor for Bear. Irascible Bear, who is decidedly NOT interested in birthdays, finds that his irrepressible little murine friend - "small and gray and bright-eyed" - once again doesn't know how to take no for an answer. Knocking on his front door, then his back, then his window, Mouse attempts to deliver birthday cards, presents and cake to Bear, who is keeping busy with chores. Although rebuffed at every turn, Mouse keeps at it, until (predictably) his curmudgeonly ursine friend realizes he might be interested in birthdays after all...

Like the first book about the doings of this adorable duo and their hilarious interactions, A Birthday for Bear pairs an engaging, well-written story from American author Bonny Becker with cute, expressive artwork from Canadian illustrator Kady MacDonald Denton. Although the second in the series about these two characters, this is actually the third I have read, as I picked up the sixth, A Christmas for Bear, this past holiday season. I find these books equal parts heart-warming and humorous, and enjoy both text and artwork immensely. Denton's illustrations really capture both characters' personalities, and I found myself giggling on more than one occasion at Mouse's exuberant joie-de-vivre and Bear's almost incredulous irritation. Recommended to anyone who has read and enjoyed other picture-books about Bear and Mouse, and to anyone looking for children's stories featuring unlikely, odd-couple friendships.

This is a very funny book about a bear who doesn't like visitors. He even has a sign up to try to keep people away. However, one day a mouse shows up who is very persistent. This drives the bear mad and even makes him scream and shout. He eventually gives up and makes the mouse some tea and gives him some cheese. He learns to enjoy the mouses company

The art work and unlikely friendship of an introverted bear and extroverted mouse will bring smiles to young audience. Bear throws a Christmas party for him and his friend mouse. Throughout the book mouse is very concerned about present as to which bear replies Christmas is about poems and pickles. Book is told mostly in dialog format making it a fun read-aloud with character voices.

That entertaining odd couple, Bear and Mouse, whose tale began in A Visitor for Bear and then continued in four additional picture-books, return in this sixth story devoted to their amusing adventures together. As grouchy as ever, Bear prepares for his very first Christmas party, but his patience is (as always) in short supply when it comes to his small, gray, bright-eyed friend, who seems only to care about finding his present. Bear insists that they must take the time to enjoy their Christmas pickle by the fire, giving him time to recite an important (and very relevant) poem...

Although I usually attempt to read series in order (even picture-book series), in this case I have skipped from the initial book, which I read some years ago, straight to A Christmas for Bear. It just looked so droll, sitting on our holiday table at work! I was not disappointed, as I found myself amused from the very first page, in which Bear's book-won knowledge of the holiday leads to his conclusion that the most important thing is... pickles. Naturally! Mouse's behavior, on the other hand, might lead one to the conclusion that he believes that presents are the most important aspect of Christmas. In the end, however, it is revealed that this ursine/murine duo is well aware of what is truly valuable: friendship and love.

With an entertaining, giggle-inducing text from author Bonny Becker, and immensely charming artwork from illustrator Kady MacDonald Denton, A Christmas for Bear is a wonderful addition to the Bear and Mouse series, and a worthy holiday tale! Recommended to all fans of these characters, as well as to anyone searching for new children's stories about the true spirit of Christmas.