Bear of My Heart [Hardcover]

Joanne Ryder (Author), Margie Moore (Illustrator)

Book Description

There are so many bears in the world dear,
but there's no other one that will do.
You are the bear of my heart, dear,
and I am the one who lives you.

Every mother makes promises to share the joys and wonders of the world with her children and Mother Bear is no exception. As Mother Bear introduces her child to the hills, lakes, caves and starry nights, she reminds Baby that no matter what, he will always remain the bear of her heart and she will always be there for him.

With Joanne Ryder's heartfelt lyrical text and adorable illustrations by Margie Moore, this beautiful hardcover is now available in board book and is perfect book for sharing on Valentine's Day, Mother's Day, or any day of the year!

--This text refers to the Board book edition.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

During a sunny day together, a parent bear (the gender is never specified) tells its cub all the ways in which the little one is "the bear of my heart, dear,/ and I am the one who loves you." These include telling many stories, seeing wonderful places together, racing in the sun and splashing in the stream. Ryder's (My Mother's Voice) singsong meter elevates these simple pleasures into a lullaby anthem: "Let's sit nose to nose and share secrets./ Let's wish on a star, eyes shut tight./ Let's whisper our dreams in the darkness./ Let's snuggle together at night." For her part, Moore (Bartholomew's Blessing) suggests an intimacy between parent and child that's reassuring but never suffocating; in one scene, the cub sits on the parent's back, blending into the curve of the older animal yet retaining its own individuality. The watercolors' velvety textures and soft hues convey an idyllic life, and the animals' comfortingly bulky shapes are embellished with just enough wispy brushstrokes to let readers know just how snuggly soft their coats are. There will always be a need for books like this one: unabashedly emotional while successfully skirting treacle. Ages 3-6. (Dec.)
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From School Library Journal

PreS—A simple tale of a mother's love for her child. The story, in one-line rhyming verse, is told from the point of view of a mother bear. She promises her cub all of life's simple pleasures (splashing in streams, gazing at stars, snuggling and hugging) that they can share. And of course, there is the reassurance that no matter how old the cub gets, or how far it wanders, the mother's love will last "forever and ever,/for YOU are the bear of my heart." This book covers ground already well trod by Sam McBratney's Guess How Much I Love You (Candlewick, 1995), Nancy Tafuri's I Love You, Little One (Scholastic, 1998), and Margaret Wise Brown's The Runaway Bunny (HarperCollins, 1942). Moore's illustrations, rendered in watercolor, are dominated by the bears, which helps to reinforce the all-encompassing relationship between the two. This book will appeal to new mothers and is suitable for lap-time sharing.—Kara Schaff Dean, Needham Public Library, MA
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 32 pages
• Publisher: Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing (December 26, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0689859473
• ISBN-13: 978-0689859472
• Product Dimensions: 8.7 x 8.5 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 11.2 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,538,693 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars love this book, March 11, 2011

By 

Asher's Mom (El Sobrante, Ca) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Bear of My Heart (Board book)

bought this book for my 2yr old daughter for valentine's day. we love reading it together. such a sweet book.

5.0 out of 5 stars LOVE THIS BOOK!, January 13, 2011

By 

LoLLieBoo - See all my reviews

This review is from: Bear of My Heart (Board book)

Yes it's another book about how much I love you but I LOVE THIS BOOK, I think it's so sweet and the illustrations are beautiful. I read it every night to my daughter after she was born :) Great present for a new mom!

5.0 out of 5 stars Reading time is special, May 18, 2008

By 

Grammy K. "Grammy K." (Minnesota) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Bear of My Heart (Hardcover)

For anyone who loves to sit and read to a beloved little one (my granddaughter in this case) this book is perfect for spending quiet moments together. Beautifully illustrated, lovely story and enjoyed by both of us, this little book is a must-have for a growing library of baby books.