Little Bear's Friend (An I Can Read Book and CD) [Audio CD]

Else Holmelund Minarik (Author), Maurice Sendak (Illustrator)

Book Description

Age Level: 4 and up | Grade Level: K and up | Series: I Can Read Books

Read along with your favorite I Can Read Book characters!

I Can Read Books are the premier line of beginning readers encouraging children to learn-and love-to read. Featuring award-winning authors and illustrators, I Can Read Books offer a full spectrum of entertaining stories for every stage of a child's reading development.

Now the beloved characters and adventures from this popular line of books come to life with I Can Read Book and CDs. Each package includes a best-selling beginning-reader storybook and a lively audio recording featuring:

• Word-for-word narration
• Music and sound effects
• One version with turn-the-page signals
• One version of uninterrupted reading

Editorial Reviews

Review

Once again the little bear of Else Minarik and Maurice Sendak (illustrator) proves himself to be as wistful and tender a little creature as exists in the child's library. In this episode, little bear makes friends with a child named Emily. With their friends, a duck, a cat, an owl, and a hen, they play all through the happy summer. Even when Emily's doll breaks an arm the pleasure the group finds in each other's company is not diminished. Only the departure of Emily brings tears to Little Bear who is consoled by his mother with his thought that, at least, he can write to her. Pathetic fallacies abound here, but somehow in the hands of this author-illustrator team, they merely compound the charm of the story. (Kirkus Reviews) --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

About the Author

Else Holmelund Minarik first introduced readers to her timeless character in the classic Little Bear. Publication of this book, with illustrations by Maurice Sendak, launched the I Can Read series. This much-loved author continues to write stories for children at her home in North Carolina.

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 4 and up
  
• Audio CD
• Publisher: HarperFestival; Pap/Com edition (May 24, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0060786892
• ISBN-13: 978-0060786892
• Product Dimensions: 12.4 x 6 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 7 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (12 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #635,237 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #2 in Books > Books on CD > Authors, A-Z > ( S ) > Sendak, Maurice
  • #24 in Books > 4-for-3 Books > Children's Books > Authors & Illustrators, A-Z > ( S ) > Sendak, Maurice

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars charming beginning reader, January 10, 2003

By 

audrey (white mtns) - See all my reviews
(TOP 500 REVIEWER)   

This review is from: Little Bear's Friend (An I Can Read Book) (Paperback)

These stories about Little Bear and his friend Emily are a charming introduction to the world of reading for beginners. Little Bear is a sweet child to his mother and father and a good friend to Duck, Hen, Owl and Cat. Minarik's simple narrative will be easy enough for early readers, and Sendak's illustrations will hold their attention. The four stories are: Little Bear and Emily, about the friends' meeting; Duck, Baby Sitter; The Party at Owl's House, in which Lucy falls from a tree; and "Your Friend, Little Bear", about Little Bear's coping when Emily goes away for the school year.

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Another good Primer from Ms. Minarik - a review of "Little Bear's Friend", June 13, 2006

By 

Pam Tee "Busy Mom" - See all my reviews
(TOP 500 REVIEWER)   

This review is from: Little Bear's Friend (An I Can Read Book) (Paperback)

I am amazed at the sort of complex storytelling that Ms. Minarik can accomplish with fairly simple words. [Why can't more modern authors accomplish the same?!?]

In this book, Little Bear finds two new friends, a little girl named Emily and her doll, Lucy. Together they have adventures which include going to a party, a broken arm for Lucy, and tragedy of tragedies... Emily's having to go away at the end of summer to attend school.

Five Stars. Wonderful storytelling. Good Read-aloud. I would estimate that this "I Can Read" book is on the first grade level. [Other sources list it as a second grade reader: 2.2 Level.]

Principally the difficulty lies not in the vocabulary but in the fact that there is quite a bit of dialog and more words per page than is found in Ms. Minarik's earlier stories.

9 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A childhood treasure waiting to be discovered, September 21, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: Little Bear's Friend (An I Can Read Book) (Paperback)

As a little girl in the early 1960's, Little Bear's Friend was one of my favorite books. What a joy to discover that this old friend is still available for my three year old daughter to enjoy!