Be Gentle! (George and Ba) [Paperback]

Virginia Miller (Author, Illustrator)

Book Description

Age Level: 2 and up | Series: George and Ba

When George gives Bartholomew a little black kitten, he tells him to be gentle with her. But Ba wants to play with her his own way - which of course is too rough. Will Bartholomew ever find out how to look after his kitten? The answer, as ever, is yes, but only after George's firm intervention.

--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

The strong-minded bear cub Bartholomew learns the right way to treat his new pet, a very young kitten; this installment of George and Ba's adventures retains the series' warmth and wit. Ages 3-5.
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From School Library Journal

PreSchool-K. With simplicity and style, Miller once again takes a matter of significance to both children and adults and gives it universal voice. George gives Bartholomew a little black kitten, telling him to "be gentle because she's only little." Being only little himself, the young bear plays with the animal as he sees fit; pushing her on a swing, bumping her along in a wagon, playing tricks on her with a garden hose, and banging a drum to cheer her up. George admonishes him repeatedly until the kitten finally runs away. After searching fruitlessly, a sad Bartholomew goes to hide in his special place where he finds his pet. He's now very gentle and the kitten purrs; a satisfying ending. As in her other books about these bears, Miller captures the mood of the characters with minimal lines. The clarity of the illustrations in both their emotional and visual content matches the text to a tee and makes this book highly suitable for group storytelling. Listeners will delight in this story and will surely ask to hear it again and again.?Martha Topol, Traverse Area District Library, Traverse City, MI
Copyright 1997 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 2 and up
  
• Paperback: 32 pages
• Publisher: Candlewick (March 3, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0763606936
• ISBN-13: 978-0763606930
• Product Dimensions: 9.5 x 8.8 x 0.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4.8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,950,531 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A wonderful book that kids can relate to!, August 5, 1999

By 

Keri "Mom of Four" (Anchorage, Alaska) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Be Gentle! (George and Ba) (Paperback)

"Be Gentle!" is the perfect book for toddlers learning the intricacies of proper social behavior. This book is my two year old's favorite because he knows many of the words. He has heard the phrase "be gentle" many times since the birth of his little sister, and this book helps him to truly understand what that means. He also gets excited because the book uses familiar objects such as a swing, a red wagon, and a drum in the storyline so he can sympathize with the characters. A great book for new, young siblings.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Gentle lesson for sibling rivalry, June 9, 2006

By 

Barbara Millet (Belle Harbor, NY USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Be Gentle! (Bartholomew & George) (Hardcover)

This book really caught our toddler's attention. Simple drawings, strong point. There has been a bit of sibling rivalry at our house, our older daughter is a bit jealous of our younger one at times and will be "not so gentle" or sometimes if she's overly excited, she might squeeze her little sister. After reading this book many times, we switched the names and put our daughter's names in - something clicked... she's been a lot... gentler! As always, check out your local library.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Warmhearted Toddler Tale, October 25, 2003

By 

Michelle "michellesays" (U.S.) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Be Gentle (Library Binding)

Poor kitty! "She's only little, Ba," a big gentle bear named George says repeatedly. A big bear hug from Bartholomew, and the kitten gets squashed. A playful squirt with the water hose, and kitten gets soaked. A rowdy drum serenade, and the kitten has had enough. Author illustrator Virginia Miller wrote this after her first book about the little bear with the big name, On Your Potty, grew in popularity. She enhances her spare text (only 203 words) with illustrations outlined in wide pencil and colored with soft, earth-toned markers. Ba is now out of diapers, but does not seem to be out of his "Terrible Two" stage. Be Gentle is my daughter's favorite Bartholomew bear story. Your toddler will not be able to get enough of this tale of well-meant but misplaced affection. I recommend the book Bartholomew Bear, a collection of five toddler tales of the same lovable bear at a great price.