There's a Bear in the Bath [Hardcover]

Nanette Newman (Author), Michael Foreman (Illustrator)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 1994 | Age Level: 5 and up

A young girl spends an unbelievable day when a big, boastful bear that loves to tango and do crossword puzzles comes to visit.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Having a cheerful, talkative bear in one's home may seem an irresistible novelty to teddy owners. However, if the bear in question were the pompous and pushy brown star of this book (by the author and illustrator of Spider the Horrible Cat ), most hosts would probably tell him to take a hike. Liza, the diminutive blond girl whom this boorish bear calls on, is far too polite to do that. Liza does ask the bear why he is visiting, but the response isn't illuminating: "Why not?" Then, when the bear lauds his own intelligence and Liza suggests that he's "boasting," he sniffs, "Boasting is very unattractive in a child, but boasting when you're a bear is quite acceptable." Although such remarks prove more insufferable than clever, Foreman's illustrations dispel some of the negativity by depicting Liza as puzzled but amused. His overwhelmingly golden palette, on the other hand, does not hold much interest. Perhaps an etiquette lesson is intended--but there's nothing much to be emulated in Liza's helplessness against and acquiescence to the bear's invasion of her privacy. Ages 4-8.
Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From School Library Journal

Kindergarten-Grade 3-Scrumptiously silly, this tale about a delightful, round brown bear who comes to visit a little girl will tickle the funny bones of even those children normally immune to frivolity. Liza notices Jam in her garden. From the moment she invites him inside until he waves good-bye, her house is full of a bold, boasting, coffee-and-shampoo-drinking, tango-dancing, crossword-puzzle-solving, myth-dispelling bear. Warm browns and yellows dominate Foreman's cartoon illustrations, radiating enthusiasm while supporting the text. Any child faced with Liza's homework assignment of writing about her day will appreciate her dilemma-if she writes about Jam, she fears that no one will believe her, and without him, her day was pretty dull. This is a fun-filled, appealing read-aloud for youngsters who are beginning to accept more of life's responsibilities but are still close enough to early childhood to miss those irresponsible days. Giggles guaranteed.
Jody McCoy, Casady School, Oklahoma City
Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc.

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Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 5 and up
  
• Hardcover: 26 pages
• Publisher: Harcourt Brace; 1st edition (March 1994)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0152855122
• ISBN-13: 978-0152855123
• Product Dimensions: 10.2 x 8.4 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12.8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,379,890 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars Unbearably Wonderful!, May 31, 2011

By 

Ohioan - See all my reviews

This review is from: There's a Bear in the Bath (Hardcover)

I bought this book when it first came out, and each time I read it, I laugh out loud at the Absolutely Outrageous Self-Centered Bear. His name is Jam, and his dialogue is hilarious, as are his actions. Yet everything about this story rings true-to-character: if you really did look out the window and see a bear sitting in your garden, this is most likely how the bear would behave. Wonderful!