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Author: Karma Wilson(website)
Illustrator: Jane Chapman
Publisher: Simon and Schuster
ISBN: 978-1442416574
Format: Hardcover, paperback, board book
Pages: 40
Age Range: Toddler, Preschooler, Early Reader
Kid Love Factor: 4/5
Adult Sanity Factor: 4.5/5
Caution: this is currently my very favourite children’s picture book. This review may be more about gushing praise than reviewing, per se. It’s kind of embarrassing, really. Sorry.
Bears Snores On is the story of a brown bear slumbering through his winter hibernation while other animals sneak into his cave one by one to escape the harsh weather:
“An itty-bitty mouse, pitter-pat, tip-toe, creep-crawls in the cave from the fluff-cold snow.”
In no time at all, there’s a party going on beside poor snoozing Bear. It doesn’t’ seem to matter how much noise the group makes, the refrain is always the same:
“But the bear snores on!”
Never fear, eventually something does wake Bear wake up, though he’s not a very happy camper once he realizes what’s been going on. Full of alliteration, clever rhymes, onomatopoeia, and simply gorgeous illustrations, Bear Snores On is a parent’s delight to read and a wonderfully engaging story for children both visually and rhythmically. I sincerely wish all of Boo’s favourite books were like this. I’m very sensitive to metre in children’s stories; Bear Snores On has one of the best rhythms I’ve come across by far.
If you have any reason at all to follow children’s literature, make sure you don’t miss this one.
Autism Spectrum Bonus: The catchy rhythm/rhyme will help draw attention, and the oft-repeated ‘chorus’ of “But the bear snores on!” may draw out vocalizations and imitation; it certainly did in our house. There are also plenty of great action words for building vocabularies and pretend play. For older and more typically interactive kids, conversations about why Bear is upset when he wakes up and how the other animals make him feel better may be beneficial for social development.
Bottom line:
For an elegant book where a look should be took,
Try the Bear Snores On!
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