Polar Bear, Polar Bear, What Do You Hear? (Henry Holt Big Books) [Paperback]

Bill Martin Jr (Author), Eric Carle (Illustrator)

Book Description

Age Level: 2 and up | Series: Henry Holt Big Books

What will you hear when you read this book to a preschool child?

Lots of noise!

Children will chant the rhythmic words. They'll make the sounds the animals make. And they'll pretend to be the zoo animals featured in the book-- look at the last page!

Bill Martin Jr. and Eric Carle are two of the most respected names in children's education and children's illustrations. This collaboration, their first since the classic Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See? (published more than thirty years ago and still a best-seller) shows two masters at their best.

A Redbook Children's Picture Book Award winner

The rollicking companion to Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See?

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

It's been 25 years since these two talented men put their heads together, but the fruit of their latest collaboration is well worth the wait. Continuing in the spirit of Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See? , their new book incorporates the same clean design and crisp text, but this time the action takes place at the zoo, where elephants, hippos, lions and such are asked what they hear--each answer leads to the animal on the next page, and culminates with a zookeeper who "hears" a pageful of multiracial children disguised as their favorite animals. Carle's characteristically inventive, jewel-toned artwork forms a seamless succession of images that fairly leap off the pages, and educator Martin, ever tuned in to what children like best, has assembled a thoroughly rowdy menagerie--including a fluting flamingo, bellowing walrus and hissing boa constrictor, to name a few--imitations of whose sounds will doubtless soon be echoing in many homes and classrooms. A visually and aurally splashy work, this is a splendid successor to Brown Bear , one that no fan of that popular bruin will want to be without. Ages 2-4.
Copyright 1991 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

From School Library Journal

PreSchool-Grade 1-- In a logical sensory follow-up to Martin's and Carle's wildly successful Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See? (Holt, 1983), this dynamic duo now offers sounds. The polar bear hears a lion roaring, who hears a hippopotamus snorting, who hears a flamingo fluting (!), who hears a zebra braying, and so on through a varied list of animals. At last the zookeeper announces that he hears children roaring, snorting, fluting, etc. While the format is very similar to the previous book, Carle's trademark collages have never been more beautiful. Huge animals fill the double-page spreads, glowing with light-filled colors, sans superflouous background. Teachers will smile with delight when they see this wonderful book, and students are sure to utter the familiar request, "Have you got another one like this one?" --Ruth Semrau, Lovejoy School, Allen, TX
Copyright 1991 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 2 and up
  
• Paperback: 32 pages
• Publisher: Henry Holt and Co. (BYR); First Edition edition (November 15, 1992)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0805023461
• ISBN-13: 978-0805023466
• Product Dimensions: 18 x 14.5 x 0.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (66 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #144,067 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #63 in Books > Children's Books > Animals > Zoos

More About the Author

Bill Martin Jr, an elementary-school principal, teacher, writer, and poet, held a doctoral degree in early childhood education. His many books, among them the bestselling classics Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See?; Polar Bear, Polar Bear, What Do You Hear?; Panda Bear, Panda Bear, What Do You See?; and Chicka Chicka Boom Boom, are a testament to his ability to speak directly to children.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

14 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Interactive, March 4, 2004

By 

Erika Mitchell (E. Calais, VT USA) - See all my reviews
(TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Polar Bear, Polar Bear, What Do You Hear? (Board book)

This is a fun interactive book about the animals in the zoo and the sounds they make. It's a great vocabulary builder, since it uses words that small kids may not hear every day. The book is quite enjoyable for kids who like animals, and not at all scary. The story may get kids wound up, however, so it might not be the best choice for a bedtime story. The book has about 200 words.

14 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Not bad, but not a very good introduction to animal sounds, July 31, 2002

By 

Julia "chicago-peach" (Oak Park, IL, United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Polar Bear, Polar Bear, What Do You Hear? (Board book)

What I had expected in this book was the onomatopoeia ("buzz", "meow", etc.) that is usual to other books about animal noises.

Although this book used some familiar terms, many of the terms for animal sounds were confusing to my daughter. For example, I had a difficult time explaining what "fluting" might sound like, since I really don't know what a flamingo sounds like (I live in the frozen Midwest). It's also hard to explain "trumpeting" to someone who doesn't know or understand what a trumpet is.

The text flows beautifully, the repetition is soothing to little ears and Eric Carle's illustrations are always a treat. Despite this, I can't recommend this book as highly as some other reviewers have.

I know that my disappointment stems from the fact that I had planned to use this book to explain the sounds that some exotic animals make. I really don't need this book just for the repetition and poetry, I think that the "Brown Bear..." book by the same team does a better job at that task.

13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The melody and rythmic tone are great to spark interest., November 19, 1999

By 

Kristine C Bono (upstate New York) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Polar Bear, Polar Bear, What Do You Hear? (Brown Bear and Friends) (Hardcover)

Small children (18 mos-4yrs) will enjoy mimicking the animal sounds and following along with the melody of this tale. The repetition of the story, as with many of Mr. Carle's books, helps my 2-yr old child participate and enjoy the reading experience to the fullest. These are his favorite books.