Lucky Hares and Itchy Bears [Paperback]

Susan Ewing (Author), Evon Zerbetz (Illustrator)

Book Description

Publication Date: May 1, 2001 | Age Level: 7 and up | Grade Level: 2 and up

Splash, dash, jump, and jitterbug with fifteen favorite northern animals in this lively, read-aloud book of poems and colorful images. Each picture-poem wraps an intriguing, unusual, or just-plain-fun fact about one particular wildlife into a whimsical package.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

This humorous rhyming revue features 15 animals from the Pacific Northwest. Accompanied by exuberant hand-colored lino-cuts, doggerel verse sings the eccentricities of each critter. Ewing (The Great Alaska Nature Factbook) homes in on kid-pleasing peculiarities, from the peripatetic caribou ("Yoo-hoo, Caribou, where are you going now?/ Is migration like vacation? Excuse me? Mrs. Cow?") to the toothy walrus ("Tusks are used for other tasks, but if I may be honest,/ If I had teeth like that I'd call my brother's orthodontist"). Set against lively backgrounds that loosely evoke each animal's habitat, first-time illustrator Zerbetz's eye-grabbing illustrations raise the energy level with their dynamic lines and vibrant composition. Although the verse does not always maintain a solid punch, the instructive purpose is well served: readers will probably remember these animals long after this book is read. Ages 7-up.
Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From School Library Journal

Kindergarten-Grade 3. Fifteen animals common to Northern latitudes are featured in short poems and hand-colored, linoleum block print illustrations. The selections range from 8-12 lines and the style is lively and rather colloquial: "Froggy Boy, I have to ask ya,/Whatcha doin' in Alaska?" and not always grammatically correct: "And so you're quite content to doze/While all the world around is froze." The book is quite attractive; each double-page spread presents the text on a monochromatic background (the walrus with a design of ice floes and water, the octopus against a design of suckers) and includes a full-color picture of the animal in an inset. The bold typeface complements the illustrations, which are similar to Ashley Wolff's A Year of Birds (Puffin, 1988) and A Year of Beasts (Dutton, 1986). Some of the pieces are typeset as "concrete" poems, with the words arranged in a way that evokes what is being described. Collections about animals are very popular, and this book has some heavy competition: it is not as distinguished as Douglas Florian's Beast Feast (Harcourt, 1994); or Ted Hughes's Under the North Star (Viking, 1981; o.p.), which also features Northern animals and has stunning paintings by Leonard Baskin; and the humor isn't quite as zany as Dick King-Smith's Alphabeasts (Macmillan, 1992) or J. Patrick Lewis's A Hippopotamusn't (Dial, 1990).?Pam Gosner, formerly at Maplewood Memorial Library, NJ
Copyright 1997 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 7 and up
  
• Paperback: 32 pages
• Publisher: Alaska Northwest Books (May 1, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0882405519
• ISBN-13: 978-0882405513
• Product Dimensions: 10 x 8.2 x 0.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,272,252 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Art and Story...Creation at its finest!, September 12, 2009

By 

grace is enough (in this place, USA) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Lucky Hares and Itchy Bears (Paperback)

If you haven't spent time with Evon Zerbetz' art, you're missing something AMAZING...but indulge yourself with this splendid children's book and swing open wide the doors of creativity and freedom. Children will love the book for the pictures and story, and you will be holding a work of art and sharing the fantasy and wild excitement of Alaska with your kids. BEAUTIFUL...collect 'em all!

5.0 out of 5 stars DELIGHTFUL!, August 21, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Lucky Hares and Itchy Bears (Hardcover)

This book is not just for children but for anyone who enjoys clever poetry combined with fun facts about some furry friends.

5.0 out of 5 stars Brings you right to the Alaskan wilderness, November 15, 1998

By 

Alexandra Keenan ([e-mail]) (New York state) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Lucky Hares and Itchy Bears (Hardcover)

I fell in love with this book while vacationing in Alaska. As a speech language pathologist, I work with children who have speech and language delays. They really enjoy the catchy rhymes while learning about wildlife not found in the Northeast region of our country.