Goodbye House (Moonbear Books) [Paperback]

Frank Asch (Author, Illustrator)

Book Description

Series: Moonbear Books

As the moving van waits outside, Bear says goodbye to each room in the empty house. What he learns is that it's never goodbye forever for we carry our memories with us.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

PreS Baby Bear and his family are moving; just as the van is about to leave, Baby Bear says that he has forgotten something and goes back inside. When his parents join him, they share memories, and things look just as they were when the house was furnished. Gradually, the memory pictures fade, and the rooms are bare again. Papa Bear carries Baby Bear into each room, and they say goodbye together. Asch's newest title doesn't measure up to his others. The bright illustrations are typical of his work, but they lack the life and humor such books as Sand Cake and Popcorn (both Parent's Magazine Pr, 1979). The sentimentalized visualization of memory isn't child-like. The message (that it's important to finalize a relationship by resolving it with a goodbye) is a good one, but here there is no joy in going on to a new houseor experience. There is no mention of where they are goingor whyand the book is disconcertingly unreassuring.Lauralyn Persson, Pawtucket Public Library, R.I.
Copyright 1986 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Details

• Paperback: 32 pages
• Publisher: Aladdin (May 1, 1989)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0671679279
• ISBN-13: 978-0671679279
• Product Dimensions: 8.8 x 8.7 x 0.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4.2 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,170,837 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

25 of 25 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars simple plot, but it hooked my 2-year old, May 25, 2001

By 

W. K. Miller "kenmiller32" (NC, USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Goodbye House (Moonbear Books) (Paperback)

The plot of _Goodbye House_: Baby Bear and his parents have packed up the moving van. Baby Bear realizes he has forgotten something, so Baby Bear, Mama Bear, and Papa Bear venture back inside.

But the house is empty! Father bear then says, "But what about the memories?" Papa then carries baby bear around the house, and they say goodbye to each room, to the walls and ceilings, and in the back yard they say goodbye to the fence, and other objects.

After they leave the house and lock the front door, they get back in the moving van and drive away. Baby bear exclaims that he realizes he forgot to say 'goodbye.'

It's a touching book, and it's easy to animate your voice a little bit to make the book funny and playful.

I know you're thinking there's not much to the plot, but my 2 year old son (he was 20 months when we first started reading this book) just LOVES it. When I tell it, I give papa bear's voice a really rough edge, a deep sound, and a New York accent. My son now joins in with me when I bust out with "What about the memories" like an actor in a gangster film. He roars with laughter. And when we're done reading the book, he usually wants me to read it one more time.

I heartily recommend _Goodbye House_ to any families with toddlers, 18 months to 3 years. I also recommend it to any families with children aged 18 months to 5 years who are moving to a new house.

The paperback version is SO inexpensive. For a few dollars more you can add this to your amazon book order. You won't be disappointed.

ken32.

15 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Fantastic!, October 16, 2001

By A Customer

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Goodbye House (Moonbear Books) (Paperback)

When we planned our cross country move I purchased several children's books that dealt with the subject to read to my two children. This was our favorite. It is a heart warming story about saying goodbye to the house but not to the happy memories. We even walked around our empty house after the moving van had left to say goodbye just as the bear family does in Goodbye House. I am filled with happy memories of our old home every time I read it.

13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Cute but incomplete book about saying goodbye, September 30, 2003

By 

"webmomster" (Tigard, OR United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Goodbye House (Moonbear Books) (Paperback)

The little bear says goodbye to his old house. But the book is about an ENDING in life, and doesn't talk about the BEGINNING of what's to come. This book is sad, I think.