From School Library Journal
PreSchool-Grade 2-In this appealing follow-up to Bear Snores On (S & S, 2002), it is spring, Bear is awake, and he is hungry. Several of his animal friends take him to places where he can get food, "But the bear wants more!" Finally, he heads home, where others have organized a party for him, but he has eaten so much that he gets stuck in his own doorway. After being pried out, he eats more and falls asleep, but now "his friends want more!" The rollicking, rhyming text flows smoothly, and the repeated refrain will have youngsters chiming right in. The acrylic illustrations are brightly colored, and the creatures, although they are sweetly appealing and use tools, look distinctly like wild animals; the details are wonderful. The layout alternates between full-bleed spreads and single-page pictures, some of which are also full bleed, while others are in a circle. This format works well to move the story along, and encourages page turns. This simple, gentle story, with its short text, large graphics, and reference to hibernation, will work well in storytimes for young preschoolers, and will fill teachers' demands for seasonal tales.
Amy Lilien-Harper, The Ferguson Library, Stamford, CTCopyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc.
PreS-Gr. 2. What happens after a bear breaks the fast of hibernation? In this rhyming follow-up to
Bear Snores On (2002), Bear emerges as a lean, mean, eating machine. His animal friends help him find food, and he munches his way through the forest. As his grub crawl proceeds, both the words of the refrain ("But the bear wants more!") and Bear himself increase in size. Other friends busily plan a party for Bear back at his lair. Later all the friends must work together to pry the overfed, very stuck Bear from the entrance to his den. The story is fun and funny, but it takes a backseat to the illustrations. Chapman's acrylic paintings have a freshly washed look that conveys the newness of spring, and they are layered with delightful comic touches--Bear's increasing girth, his friends' bemused expressions, and the flower crown he wears at his picnic, after which he falls asleep. Now Bear is "full, full, full . . . but . . . his friends want more." An appealing romp about springtime and friendship.
Connie FletcherCopyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved
