Jamberry [Board book]

Bruce Degen (Author)

Book Description

Age Level: 3 and up | Grade Level: P and up

Hatberry
Shoeberry
In my canoeberry
Under the bridge
And over the dam
Looking for berries Berries for jam

They're off...a boy and an endearing, rhyme-spouting bear, who squires him through a fantastic world of berries. And their adventure comes to a razzamatazz finale under a starberry sky.

Children will want to feast again and again on Bruce Degen's exuberant, colorful pictures and his rollicking, berryful rhymes.

A young boy and a bear joyously romp through the land of berries where there are raspberry rabbits and a brassberry band with elephants skating on strawberry jam!Bruce Degen's exuberant tale, with his equally energetic and vibrant illustrations, is now a quality board book.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

Hat and boot in hand, a boy and a bear set off on a delicious and raucous romp through Berryland. They frolic in strawberry fields forever, rumble and ramble in blackberry brambles, and topple their canoeberry with blueberries. Silly rhymes and a musical beat practically beg to be read aloud, preferably accompanied by dancing. New readers will giggle as they follow the fruit-frenzied pals on their berry adventures. Jamberry builds quickly in intensity and complexity, starting with "One berry, Two berry, Pick me a blueberry," and working up to "Raspberry, Jazzberry, Razzmatazzberry, Berryband, Merryband, Jamming in Berryland." Children will love discovering the subtle touches in Bruce Degen's illustrations: a frog climbing out of a hat, crackers and butter instead of lily pads, and a sign by the raspberry skating rink imploring skaters not to pick the jelly rolls planted nearby. Every character seems giddy with well-fed joy in this veritable jamboree of flavorful fun. Jamberry is a book best enjoyed on a gloomy day with a dollop of vanilla ice cream. (Baby to Preschool) --Emilie Coulter

Review

"...A good pick for sharing one-on-one, or fun to read aloud as a poetry introduction." -- BL.

A boy and a rhyme-spouting bear romp through a berry world, looking for berries as they go. This rollicking board book invites kids to relish a whimsical world where a berry hunt is the motivating force for celebration. -- Midwest Book Review

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 3 and up
  
• Board book: 32 pages
• Publisher: HarperFestival (January 6, 1995)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0694006513
• ISBN-13: 978-0694006519
• Product Dimensions: 5.7 x 5.1 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (142 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #4,148 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #7 in Books > 4-for-3 Books > Children's Books > Animals > Bears > Fiction
  • #11 in Books > Children's Books > Animals > Bears
  • #31 in Books > 4-for-3 Books > Children's Books > Literature > Action & Adventure

More About the Author

Bruce Degen has written and illustrated numerous award-winning books for children, among them Shirley's Wonderful Baby, Daddy Is a Doodlebug, and Jamberry. He has illustrated the highly acclaimed The Magic School Bus series by Joanna Cole, the ever-popular Jesse Bear books by Nancy White Carlstrom, and Jane Yolen's Commander Toad series. In addition to his career in children's books, he has also worked as a painter, print maker, and teacher, and has even painted scenery for the opera. Mr. Degen currently lives in Connecticut.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

79 of 79 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars That's how you write a kid's book!, September 26, 2005

By 

My Uncle Stu (Atlanta) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Jamberry (Board book)

What a cute book! Bruce Degen tells the tale of a young boy and a jovial bear rollicking through a decadent world of fruit. The illustrations are luxuriant and detailed, composed of iridescent deep blues, reds, and purples. The text is catchy, with a Seussian quality:

"Quickberry!/ Quakberry!/ Pick me a Blackberry!/ Trainberry/Trackberry/Clickety-clackberry."

It's nonsense. The good kind of nonsense. The kind that gets stuck in your head whether or want it their or not. In fact, this morning, on my way to work, I caught myself improvising a vulgar, burlesque variation of Jamberry. I'm not proud of that, it just happened, but it put a smile on my face. Please don't tell anyone.

The book closes with an afterward in which the author explains that he was inspired to write the book based on childhood memories of picking berries with his grandparents. Every time I read the book to my daughter, she makes me read this afterward to her. It's a nice personal touch, lets you know that it's a labor of love.

Anyway, thumbs up. That's how you write a children's book.

48 of 49 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great Fun! One of the Best Children's Book Around!, June 2, 2000

By 

M. Allen Greenbaum (California) - See all my reviews
(TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (VINE VOICE)    (HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Jamberry (Board book)

One of my all-time favorites for children aged four months to 2 1/2 years! The youngest will enjoy the enthusiastic alliterative rhyming and the bright colors; toddlers (and adults!) will also enjoy the clever pictorial links between each page (preparations for fireworks are shown in the corner of one page; delightfully exploding berries on the next).

I don't know whether this book is more fun for the reader or the listener ("Raspberry/Jazzberry/ Razzamatazzberry/ Berryband/Merryband/Jamming in Berryland"), but it will fast become a favorite for you and a child! An enchanting tale, beautifully told: A perfect gift!

15 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The MOST imaginative book ever written for infants!, April 13, 2002

By 

History_of_Art_Geek (Phoenix, AZ) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Jamberry (Board book)

Come along and sing the song of "Jamberry" in "Jamberryland." A little boy befriends a dancing bear that is picking scores of berries in Berryland. The illustrations in this book are OUTSTANDING, sweet, and silly, beset with wit and surprises such as fruit tart flowers, butter-cookie lily pads, and bread vines to name a few. Visually stunning, as well as wonderfully rhythmic too, "Quickberry! Quackberry! Pick me a blackberry! Trainberry, Trackberry Clickerty-clackberry!" Terrific use of alliteration. This dynamic little board book will captivate your children, and don't be surprised if it charms you too. Indeed, "Jamberry" is one of the MOST imaginative books ever written for infants and young children! Birth and up.