Famous Bears and Friends: One Hundred Years of Teddy Bear Stories, Poems [Hardcover]

Janet Coleman (Author)

Book Description

Age Level: 9 and up

One hundred years ago, Teddy Roosevelt refused to shoot a helpless bear. A toy maker in Brooklyn honored the noble act by creating a plush, stuffed toy with movable arms and legs and a bright, bearish face. The teddy bear was born. A century later this bear has inspired beloved stories, a hit song, and numerous silly, sad, and loving poems, many of which are gathered here in a big, full-color treasury. The collection includes a chapter each from Winnie-the-Pooh and A Bear Called Paddington; the full text of Corduroy; poems by Shel Silverstein, Judith Viorst, A. A. Milne, and others; a song; and a lively illustrated history of the world's favorite toy.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Youngsters can celebrate the Teddy bear's 100th birthday with Famous Bears & Friends: One Hundred Years of Teddy Bear Stories, Poems, Songs, and Heroics by Janet Wyman Coleman, illus. by various artists. A dispute still lingers about who invented the stuffed bear (Was it a pair of Russian immigrant toymakers living in Brooklyn or Germany's Margarete Steiff?) and the alternate histories (plus the legend of Teddy Roosevelt's contribution to the toy bear's nickname) kick off this affectionate homage. A chapter each from Winnie-the-Pooh and A Bear Called Paddington; Don Freeman's complete Corduroy; and poems by A.A. Milne, Shel Silverstein and Judith Viorst contribute to this handsomely designed treasury.
Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From School Library Journal

Grade 3 Up-Many people are familiar with the story of Teddy Roosevelt refusing to shoot an injured bear, and thus inspiring the creation of the teddy bear. Coleman offers this story, as well as the tale of German seamstress Margarete Steiff and the stuffed-animal empire she launched at roughly the same time. Coleman's book is a veritable love letter to these beloved toys, sprinkling stories and poems of favorite bears such as Winnie-the-Pooh, Paddington, and Corduroy with factual histories of their creators. Real-life stories of teddy bears such as Senior Under Officer Edward Bear, the mascot of the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst's Parachuting Club, and Kumataro, the first teddy bear in space, round out the collection. Crisp photographs illustrate the historical segments, while illustrations from the original books accompany the stories and poems. With its wide, square format and generous use of white space and decorative borders, this collection is sure to be a hit with teddy bear aficionados, though its appeal may be more for adult collectors than for children.
Kathleen Kelly MacMillan, Maryland School for the Deaf, Columbia
Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 9 and up
  
• Hardcover: 64 pages
• Publisher: Dutton Juvenile; 1 edition (October 14, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0525469257
• ISBN-13: 978-0525469254
• Product Dimensions: 10.3 x 10.2 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.3 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,088,330 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #54 in Books > Children's Books > Education & Reference > Antiques & Collectibles

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great for all ages., December 19, 2002

By 

Carole B. (New Haven, CT United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Famous Bears and Friends: One Hundred Years of Teddy Bear Stories, Poems (Hardcover)

This is a beautifully written and illustated book. Wonderful to read to toddlers and younger children and a treat for older children (of all ages). The Teddy Roosevelt story is worth the whole book.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful for the teddy bear enthusaist!!!, June 29, 2003

By 

"bubblegum44" (Boston, MA USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Famous Bears and Friends: One Hundred Years of Teddy Bear Stories, Poems (Hardcover)

This was a great book. It tells you everything from the history of teddy bears to little bear legends. I love teddy bears and found this book very interesting. My only complaint was that it was a tad short. If you love teddy bears then you'll love this book. It's great for any age to enjoy!

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars what a pleasure, January 3, 2003

By 

Susan G. (Boston, MA USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Famous Bears and Friends: One Hundred Years of Teddy Bear Stories, Poems (Hardcover)

This book is a great read-aloud. My son was drawn to his "favorite" bears like Pooh and Paddington, then was happy to stick around and learn about actual, unusual teddy bears. We loved the story about the one on the Titanic.