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.
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Book Description
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.
Copyright 1986 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
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26 of 26 people found the following review helpful
By W. K. Miller
Format: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
By A Customer
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
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.
14 of 14 people found the following review helpful
By "webmomster"
Format: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.
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
I absolutely agree with the reviews here, with one caveat. This is a great book, but it really only deserves Five Stars when it comes to a specific application: It is a book for children who are going to be moving.
If you are not moving, it just is not as poignant... at least not to my kid's (3 and 5).
Five Stars if you are going to be moving. Three Stars as a regular read.
If you are not moving, it just is not as poignant... at least not to my kid's (3 and 5).
Five Stars if you are going to be moving. Three Stars as a regular read.
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
Hi, I ordered this for a friend who was selling her family home. I had read it many times to my children
at my preschool and they all loved it . It was great for the parents to read if they were moving. Its a book
that really helps kids work thru the difficulty of a move.
This time it was a friend my age over 50 and she was incredibly touched and in fact just like the book
says walked thru each room remembering and saying goodbye
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0671679279/ref=cm_cr_rev_prod_img
at my preschool and they all loved it . It was great for the parents to read if they were moving. Its a book
that really helps kids work thru the difficulty of a move.
This time it was a friend my age over 50 and she was incredibly touched and in fact just like the book
says walked thru each room remembering and saying goodbye
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0671679279/ref=cm_cr_rev_prod_img
By Jessa Fee
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
This book is perfect for kids who are old enough to not want to move (even when you are moving to a better, bigger house). After reading it, our son went into each room of our house and said goodbye to all of them. It was so bittersweet. We talked about what we were going to miss about the house, and some things that had happened there (like his brother being born in the guest room!). We also took pictures of the house in each room, and front and back outside, to help keep memories of our time there alive for him. I believe this book helped him to feel just a wee bit in control.
My son was two when we first read this book-- we were moving from the only home he had ever known-- and we bought it when we moved again a year and a half later. It's become part of our family's moving ritual!
My son was two when we first read this book-- we were moving from the only home he had ever known-- and we bought it when we moved again a year and a half later. It's become part of our family's moving ritual!
1 of 2 people found the following review helpful
By Judy Ramirez
Format:Paperback
This book lets you teach 43 vowel-spellings using 177 vocabulary words.
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