Customer Reviews

The Little Mouse, the Red Ripe Strawberry, and the Big Hungry Bear (Child's Plays Intl, Singapore)

5 star:		(160)
4 star:		(8)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(5)

 

 

What's a little, strawberry loving mouse going to do to keep a big, hungry, strawberry loving bear from eating his fruit? Especially when "the big, hungry Bear can smell a red, ripe strawberry a mile away..." Well, with a little clever help from the reader, this turns out to be an easy problem to solve..... Don and Audrey Wood have authored an entertaining, interactive treasure that's sure to charm and delight kids from 1 to 91. Their simple text is joyous and engaging, But this is really a story told through the marvelous illustrations. Mr Wood's bold, bright, and amusing artwork stars a most endearing little furry friend, and youngsters will love all the captivating facial expressions and wonderful, humorous detail in each two page spread. The Little Mouse, The Red Ripe Strawberry, And The Big Hungry Bear is a masterpiece little ones will beg to read again and again, and a timeless classic to share with friends, family, and future generations.

A wonderful book truly suitable for children from birth up (and for all of us big kids!). The sense of suspense created by the anticipation of the Big Hungry Bear's arrival is offset by the humorous facial expressions of this cute Little Mouse. A wonderful book which encourages a most important social value - sharing. It has large bright illustrations with minimal text on each page, so it is both highly attractive to babies and toddlers, and ideal as an early reader. Long words such as "disguised" are used to help expand vocab but are so cleverly illustrated that the meaning of the word is easily apparent even to toddlers (I won't spoil it by telling you how - but this is a MUST see!). The book also cleverly introduces basic math concepts such as one being cut in two, then sharing half. Again beautiful illustrations make this concept very clear. I have a three year old, and I also work with children from about 6 weeks old up to high school age. It is rare not to get a very positive response, even from those who are supposedly outside the book's age range. Seeing half a dozen tiny babies, or a group of busy toddlers, totally enthralled for a few minutes is wonderful. My son and I both love this book. If you like to dramatise (eg. different voices, noises, movements to the story) then this book will give you lots of scope. If you're a bit hesitant about trying dramtisation (or feel a little silly) go ahead and try it - you and your child(ren) will enjoy the book that much more. This wife and husband team are unbeatable, keep an eye out for other titles from them, especially Quick as a Cricket.

My 3-year old daughter and I were in the local bookstore, and she came running over to me with this book in her hand. She had just been playing with a baby mouse at the petstore, and we had compromised by buying her a small stuffed mouse instead. When she found this, she was convinced this was the story of her mouse, who, like her, loves strawberries. I had to read it to her five times in a row before she'd even let me buy it; I can't even begin to count how many times I've read it to her in the week since. She just loves the mouse, the expressions on his face, and the joy of eating her favorite fruit right after! This is a great book that belongs in every child's library.

The Story: A mouse is in the process of picking a red ripe strawberry when you, the reader, come upon him. You warn the mouse about "The Big Hungry Bear" who loves "Red Ripe Strawberries." Though the darling little mouse looks up at you with wide, worried eyes, he really wants that strawberry and continues to pick it and drag it back to his little home, where he tries hiding it, guarding it, disguising it, etc. Finally, the reader tells the little mouse the only way he can save his strawberry from the "Big Hungry Bear" is to "Cut it in two, share half with me, and we will eat it all up."

Your little mouse will love this book, and so will you. The illustrations are absolutely fantastic, and the mouse is one of the most expressively drawn characters in children's books. It's a quick read accompanied by bright, colorful, beautifully painted pages that will keep the attention of even the youngest child, and have your older child giggling and reading along with you.

Cleverly conceived, the reader is the narrator in this enchanting little board book. Beautifully written, the story will engage small children while mesmerize infants with the OUTSTANDING illustrations.

The storyteller (that's you) starts out "Hello, little Mouse. What are you doing?" The reader sees an adorable, little mouse sauntering down a road carrying a ladder with a suspicious expression on his face.

The story continues, "Oh, I see. Are you going to pick that red, ripe strawberry?" The mouse is standing with his hands on hips wearing a big, proud grin. He has successfully propped the ladder up to a strawberry bush.

"But little Mouse, haven't you heard about the Big Hungry Bear?" The mouse now fruitfully up the ladder, appears extremely frightened by the readers' announcement of the Big Hungry Bear. The story continues as the narrator does his (or her) best to save the mouse, and the strawberry from the "Big Hungry Bear."

"The Little Mouse, The Red Ripe Strawberry, & the Big Hungry Bear", is an irresistible short story that reinforces sharing and caring, and is truly a delightful experience for children and reader a like. One-year and up.

I love this book in hardcover, but I was sorely disappointed with the board book version. The colors are faded and the illustrations are cropped in such a way that some of the magic of the original work is lost. I purchased this as a gift, but I'm returning it. Still a great book, but just be warned that the board book version doesn't do it justice.

I taught a class of 1-2 year olds when I was in high school. We must have read this book a minimum of three times every day. There were plenty of other books, but the classroom full of toddlers sat with twinkling eyes everytime we read this wonderful story. After a couple of weeks I memorized it all, and the children did too! As we read through the book, a little chorus of voices would join in saying "BOOM BOOM BOOM!" right along with me. The illustrations are absolutely adorable, the style is wonderfully entertaining for children and adults. The one book you won't mind reading a hundered times over- and it's a good thing too!

I have loved this book, The Little Mouse, The Red Ripe Strawberry, and The BIG HUNGRY BEAR,ever since the first time it was read to me when I was a young child. This is such a marvelous story where the little mouse has to find a way to keep the BIG HUNGRY BEAR from eating his red, ripe strawberry. The BIG HUNGRY BEAR can smell red, ripe strawberries from miles away. I think that this book should be read by every young person interested in reading. *This is one of the best children's books I have ever read!*

This is one of my very favorite kids' books. There is no
particular moral, the story line is minimal, there is no bear!
But there is a little mouse with one of the most expressive
faces in all of kids' picture books, a huge strawberry, and a
very happy and satisfying ending.

Don and Audrey Wood are an extremely talented couple, both when
they work on separate projects and especially when they work
together.

Along with Goonight Moon, this was a favorite book of all three of my children (now ages 17, 14, and 11) Our copy is dog-eared and worn- having been taped together several times during their pre-school years. They never tired of hearing this delightful story over and over and over - teaching problem-solving, "halves", and Sharing. It was also the first book my son learned to "read" (he had it memorized!). I now give it or Goodnight Moon to friends as baby gifts and to the newest additions to our own family.