We're Going on a Bear Hunt [Paperback]

Michael Rosen (Author), Helen Oxenbury (Illustrator)

Book Description

Age Level: 2 and up

We're going on a bear hunt. We're going to catch a big one. What a beautiful day! We're not scared.

Ready for some fun? Come along!

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

"We're going on a bear hunt. / We're going to catch a big one. / What a beautiful day! / We're not scared." So begins Michael Rosen's award-winning read-aloud romp We're Going on a Bear Hunt. In this lovely boxed gift edition illustrated by Helen Oxenbury, a small paperback version of the book is packaged with the softest, most fabulous little brown bear we've ever seen. Reenacting "Splash splosh! Splash splosh! Splash splosh!" across the river is much more fun with an actual bear on hand. (Ages 4 and older) --This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.

From Publishers Weekly

A father and his four children--a toddler, a preschool boy and two older girls--go on the traditional bear hunt based on the old camp chant: "We're going to catch a big one. / What a beautiful day! / We're not scared. / Oh-oh! Grass! / Long, wavy grass. / We can't go over it. / We can't go under it. / Oh, no! / We've got to go through it!" The family skids down a grassy slope, swishes across a river, sludges through mud and, of course, finally sees the bear, who chases them all back to their home. It's a fantastic journey--was it real or imagined?--with the family's actions (and interaction) adding to the trip a goodnatured, jolly mood. The design of the oversized volume alternates black-and-white drawings with gorgeous full-color watercolor paintings, which Oxenbury uses to wonderful effect. Readers accustomed to her board books will find a different style here, of puddled colors and sweeps of light and shadow. The scale of the pictures and the ease with which the text can be shouted aloud make this ideal for families or groups to share. Ages 4-9.
Copyright 1989 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 2 and up
  
• Paperback: 36 pages
• Publisher: Alladin Paperbacks (January 1, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0689853491
• ISBN-13: 978-0689853494
• Product Dimensions: 9.4 x 10.6 x 0.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 10.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (123 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #25,626 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #59 in Books > 4-for-3 Books > Children's Books > Animals > Bears > Fiction

More About the Author

Michael Rosen, an English poet, scriptwriter, broadcaster, and performer, has been writing for children since 1970. He lives in London with his wife and five children.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

93 of 97 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Can't go over it, May 12, 2004

By 

E. R. Bird "Ramseelbird" (Manhattan, NY) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: We're Going On A Bear Hunt (Hardcover)

Glancing at the cover of Michael Rosen and Helen Oxenbury's, "We're Going On a Bear Hunt", I thought something along the lines of, "Hrmph. I bet they watered it down and made it syrupy. There's no way this kind of kid's book (in which a father and his four children of different hair colors go hunting for a bear) is going to actually end with the family finding the bear and getting chased back to their house". Well, you can just color me wrong all over. Not only is the book faithful to the original song, but it's a hoot to boot. The words are those old familiar ones we all love so well, and the pictures are a high-stepping romp complete with adventure, daring, and danger. Everything, in fact, that a good picture book could hope to be.

If you've ever heard the song "We're Going On a Bear Hunt" then you know the way the story goes. A father and his rambunctious youngsters are setting out to locate one bear. They're not actually on a hunt in terms of carrying guns or anything of that sort. In fact, these people haven't anything with them but one another and the clothes on their backs. With their border collie along with they successfully cross the tall wavy grass (swishy swashy), ford the deep cold river (splash splosh), tromp through the ooey-gooey mud (squelch squerch), wander through the deep dark forest (stumble trip!), run through a whirling snowstorm (Hoooo woooo), and at last enter a deep dark cave (tiptoe). It's the dog that sees the malicious bear first and the brave troop run back over every place they'd been before to escape. In a moment of frenzied activity they enter their house only to discover that they've forgotten to shut the door. At the last minute they get it closed (angry bear safely outside now) and everyone crawls into bed and under the covers. The final shot in the book is one of the bear as he tromps solemly homeward again.

This is quite an exciting book. Author Michael Rosen has captured the enjoyable sounds of the story quite well, and the high tension towards the end is just delightfully scary enough for the youngsters. But it is illustrator Helen Oxenbury that really lets this puppy shine. She has the ability to create scenes in which characters are interacting with one another against huge evocative backgrounds. I'm very partial to a scene in which the family is joyfully running through the tall grasses, dotted occasionally with deep red poppies. The sky is a blue one, filled with light puffy clouds and in the distance a flock of birds travels up and away. Admittedly, I love a good pastoral illustration, but this kind of care for illustrations is visible in all Oxenbury's color pictures (each appearing on every other page). If you're at all familiar with Helen Oxenbury then you'll find numerous scenes in this story that remind you of her other books. The baby found here looks like nothing so much as a clothed version of the infant in, "Big Mama Makes the World". The muddy squelchy vista in another picture is reminiscent of the barnyard takeover attempt in, "Farmer Duck". She knows how to pick `em, Helen Oxenbury does.

Will kids be scared by a family chased by a bear? Pleasantly so, I believe. The shot of the bear walking home is enough to convince even the worry-wartiest of children that the family is not going to be eaten in the near future. All in all, this is just another one of those great picture books that fill the world. It reads aloud very well, so if you need a book to present to a large group, I've found the perfect match for you. If you like high adventure and a good tale, "We're Going on a Bear Hunt" delivers both in spades. A wonderful addition to any storytime collection.

27 of 27 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars One of the best choices out there, August 11, 2004

By 

S. D Haynie "girlranger" (carlsbad, nm United States) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: We're Going on a Bear Hunt (Classic Board Books) (Board book)

This is one of the first books my son responded to. I could read it to him and get him to say Uh Oh at the proper point. Months later he was able to add Oh No at the proper point. A book like this, with fun noises, great prepositional phrases, interesting drawings, a funny storyline, an exciting ending, and a repetitive reading sequence, really help children to remember what's going on. A kid who can remember a story can eventually learn to tell you that story, and sometimes even do so long before they're truly reading and decoding the words.
The board book format will always be lauded in our household. We like the durability and compactness of the books. The babies can easily turn the pages, the books withstand being thrown (hey, it happens) and stepped on, and the pages can be gnawed on without too much harm.
This is one of our favorites.

20 of 21 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A great first book., October 13, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: We're Going on a Bear Hunt (Classic Board Books) (Board book)

We've been reading this book to our 17 month old daughter since she was given it at 6 weeks and yet it's still a favourite! She now joins in on the Uh-Oh's, and lots of the sound pages too. She's been 'reading' the Hoo Woo snowstorm page by herself since about 6 months and loves bouncing along to the rhythm of the story and waving goodbye to the bear on the last page. It wouldn't surprise me if this is the first book she 'reads' independently in a few years time. Highly recommended as a present for new babies. It's never too early to start encouraging a love of books!