The Bear That Wasn't (Dover Children's Thrift Classics) [Paperback]

Frank Tashlin (Author)

Book Description

Age Level: 8 and up | Grade Level: 3 and up | Series: Dover Children's Thrift Classics

A hibernating bear awakens to find himself smack dab in the middle of a sprawling industrial complex! To make matters even worse, every one he meets keeps insisting that he's not even a bear — just a silly man who needs a shave and wears a fur coat. 46 illustrations.

Editorial Reviews

Review

“Like a good many modern satirical fables about animals, this falls heavily between the stools of adult and juvenile interest.” – The New York Times

“It is a fable for grownups that will be fun for children. Sit down with the book and get your own bearings.” –New York Herald Tribune

“If you do not laugh at The Bear That Wasn’t you are not only a member of the human group, you are an agelast and you deserve it. An agelast (see Rabelais) is a silly man in a fur coat who needs a shave and doesn’t think it’s funny.” –Saturday Review of Literature

“Go ahead and enjoythe book, which is thoroughly funny throughout…Mr. Tashlin’s bear is very ingratiating and provides a good deal of fun for all members of the family.” –Springfield Republican

“Mr. Tashlin’s earlier masterpiece, The Bear That Wasn’t is a genially savage lampoon on the The Civilized People Who Aren’t.” –Los Angeles Times

"...a good story with wonderful pictures and even some political satire to appeal to adults who read it, as well." –Scott Simon, Weekend Edition Saturday, NPR

"...it's a classic. And the proof of that is that it is now coming out...from the wonderful and magnificent New York Review of Books Children's Collection.  [The Bear That Wasn't]  has been hanging around since 1946, with wonderful pen and ink drawings." –Daniel Pinkwater, Weekend Edition Saturday, NPR  --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

About the Author

Frank Tashlin (1913–1972) was born in New Jersey and raised in Queens, New York. As a teenager he worked as an errand boy, inker, and animator at several pioneering animation
studios in New York. By 1933 he had moved to Hollywood, where he wrote and directed cartoon shorts for MGM and Warner Bros., and briefly served as head of production at Screen Gems. Tashlin also worked for a while at Disney Studios, helping to organize its embattled animators’ union. During his early years in California, Tashlin drew a syndicated
pantomime-style cartoon strip called Van Boring, and during the Second World War, he worked on the military’s Private Snafu series (created by Frank Capra and Theodor “Dr. Seuss” Geisel). Though he retired from animation in the mid-1940s, Tashlin is recognized as an influential stylist who brought cinematographic techniques and inventive “camera” angles to the medium. Moving from cartoons to live action, Tashlin worked for a time as a comedy writer before fulfilling his ambition to write and direct feature films. He is best known for his collaborations with Jerry Lewis and Bob Hope, and for screwball comedies like The Girl Can’t Help It and Will Success Spoil Rock Hunter? Tashlin has described The Bear That Wasn’t (1946) as “precious and special to me.” It was followed by two more picture books, The ‘Possum That Didn’t (1950) and The World That Wasn’t (1951). --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 8 and up
  
• Paperback: 64 pages
• Publisher: Dover Publications (October 24, 1995)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0486287874
• ISBN-13: 978-0486287874
• Product Dimensions: 8.1 x 5.1 x 0.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.6 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (18 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,243,746 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

20 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Critique of alienation in industrial society, July 5, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: The Bear That Wasn't (Dover Children's Thrift Classics) (Paperback)

After almost half a century, I have come to realize that this book, the first one I read all by myself, has had a profound influence on my world view. I can still remember a number of the wonderful illustrations.

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A wonderful book for children, clever illustrations., October 28, 1997

By A Customer

This review is from: The Bear That Wasn't (Dover Children's Thrift Classics) (Paperback)

A book that teaches the importance of knowing who you are and the fact that others may think they know you but really don't. It shows the importance of the sense of self, an important lesson for young people. It does this without preaching, with good humor and illustrations that have many objects for children, and adults, to discover. The illustrations in this reprint are unfortunatly slightly cropped from the original book with some loss of content.

9 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An all time personal favorite, May 20, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: The Bear That Wasn't (Dover Children's Thrift Classics) (Paperback)

This book has been a personal favorite ever since I can remember. I make sure to read it to any child that visits my house. My affinity to the material and the subtile presentation of the importance of being an individual was a clear indication of my political orientation from a very early age. I'm so glad that I can now get copies for the next generation to take home and cherish.