Bear-ly There [Hardcover]

Rebekah Raye (Author, Illustrator)

Book Description

Age Level: 5 and up | Grade Level: K and up

What do you do when there's a bear in your backyard? A big black bear shows up one moonlit night and creates a real ruckus, first breaking into the shed where the grain is kept for the geese (who aren't too happy about it), then raiding the bird feeders. The bear is also causing problems at other homes in the neighborhood, getting into the trash and compost and eating dog food that was left out overnight. One neighbor offers to shoot it. Another one suggests calling the game warden to have the bear tranquilized and relocated. But the child among them knows what is best. A bear belongs in the woods, he says, and together with the adults clears the yards in the neighborhood of any food that would tempt the bear. His dad comes up with a good idea for warning the bear away--and it works! Bear-ly There shows that it's always best for the bear if it stays in the woods, away from humans. An occasional glimpse of a bear through the trees or at the far side of a meadow is much, much better than having one in the backyard--for us and for the bear.

Editorial Reviews

From Booklist

The magnificently rich rendering of a bear on the cover invites readers into the woods to witness the bear awakening in spring. The artist’s affinity for the natural world emerges in the expressive, textured details of flora and fauna. It’s a shame that the first page has a misspelled word (“whisps of steam”). Enticing smells draw the bear into backyards, and Charlie and his family watch with trepidation as, day after day, the bear finds new reasons to invade civilization: to steal seed, knock over trash cans, and tear up the compost pile. Charlie warns neighbors by posting signs (“What to do if you have a bear in your backyard”), and his family members devise plans to protect their turf. In this cautionary tale, the illustrations are more successful than the text, which is a bit wordy and lacking in focus, centering first on the bear and then shifting to the people. Yet it admirably confronts a problem not often addressed in children’s books. Grades 1-3. --Patricia Austin

Review

"'Bear-ly There' is a fascinating book for kids about how to react constructively when a bear moves into your back yard. Filled will beautiful paintings/illustrations of bear and other creatures of northern woods in their natural settings, 'Bear-ly There' is a book infused with a love of nature that is communicated directly to its young readers, through both the written word and visual appeal. 'Bear-ly There' also offers a number of practical suggestions to help humans and bears coexist peacefully and happily. Children will identify with the reactions of Charlie to the problem of how to deal with having a bear in your back yard. He makes a poster with six specific suggestions on it to help make human living areas not appealing or attractive to bears. The secret to what to do if you have a bear in your backyard is to realize the bear isn't the problem - you are! 'Bear-ly There' is a wonderful resource book for children in grade 3-6." --Midwest Book Review Children's Bookwatch, December 2009

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 5 and up
  
• Hardcover: 32 pages
• Publisher: Tilbury House Publishers (October 15, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0884483142
• ISBN-13: 978-0884483144
• Product Dimensions: 10.3 x 9.3 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,972,129 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Beautiful photos, November 22, 2009

By 

Sharon - See all my reviews

This review is from: Bear-ly There (Hardcover)

The pictures in this book were beautiful. My children (age 3) really enjoyed looking at the photos and talking about what was going on and what happened in the next picture. I would say the story is geared toward older kids, maybe 6 and up? The story was interesting, discussing why bears sometimes come near houses, and strategies for dealing with them. However, it did read a bit preachy as other reviewers have described, and at times the text read more like a lesson than like an engaging story. I think for those who live with bears nearby, this book could be particularly interesting. My kids have yet to really engage with the text (though as I said, they enjoyed the photos), but I do think they will like it more when they're older.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars This is a wonderful story that will teach young people how to keep bears in the woods and away from their property ..., March 20, 2010

By 

D. Fowler "Dragonfly77" (Vermont) - See all my reviews
(TOP 100 REVIEWER)    (VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Bear-ly There (Hardcover)

It was spring and a large black bear who had slept away the winter emerged from his den to find food. It had been a long "six month nap" and as he stood tall against a pine tree and scratched his back he was ready to forage for food. He found some cutworms on the ground, but an enticing smell, "a sweet, nutty odor," lured him toward Charlie's house. Charlie was tending to his geese and was stacking hay in the shed where their grain was stored. He was careful to put his two pet geese in the shed at night because he wanted to keep them safe from predators.

That night the bear "ripped at the shed door with his sharp claws, pushing and pulling until it broke in half." The geese were safe from harm because the bear didn't want them, but the seed would be strewn on the ground when he tipped the garbage can in the yard. He raised his nose to look at Charlie's family who was peering at him from the window. It would be a feast night for the bear, who would soon be marauding the neighborhood in search of food. He would pull down bird feeders and scatter compost piles. There was talk of shooting the bear. Charlie began to research the habits of the bear. Would he be able to convince people that their behavior was drawing the bear to their homes? Was there a way to save him?

This is a wonderful story that will teach young people how to keep bears in the woods and away from their property. I liked the casual approach this story takes to instruct people how to deal with wildlife. Bears can be notorious pests and will destroy property trying to find something tasty to eat. The artwork nicely captures the mischievous, but destructive behavior of these animals. Charlie educates the reader and writes out six steps instructing people what they can do if they find a bear in their backyard. The phrase, "The bear isn't the problem--you are!" is one of the key messages to children. This book will have more impact on the rural child, but all children can learn about bear behavior in these pages. The Tilbury website offers classroom activities to compliment this book.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A wonderful resource book for children in grade 3-6, December 24, 2009

By 

Midwest Book Review (Oregon, WI USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Bear-ly There (Hardcover)

"Bear-ly There" is a fascinating book for kids about how to react constructively when a bear moves into your back yard. Filled with beautiful paintings/illustrations of bear and other creatures of northern woods in their natural settings, "Bear-ly There" is a book infused with a love of nature that is communicated directly to its young readers, through both the written word and visual appeal. "Bear-ly There" also offers a number of practical suggestions to help humans and bears coexist peacefully and happily. Children will identify with the reactions of Charlie to the problem of how to deal with having a bear in your back yard. He makes a poster with six specific suggestions on it to help make human living areas not appealing or attractive to bears. The secret to what to do if you have a bear in your backyard is to realize the bear isn't the problem - you are! "Bear-ly There" is a wonderful resource book for children in grade 3-6.