Snowbear's Christmas Countdown (Hardcover)

by Theresa Smythe (Author) "It was the month of December and time for Snowbear to get ready for Christmas..." (more)

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal
PreSchool-Grade 2–On December 1, Snowbear begins his preparations for Christmas by making a wish list for Santa. Each of the next 24 days finds him engaged in a new activity–stringing lights, arranging his snow-globe collection, sending cards, making ornaments, wrapping presents, watching his favorite holiday movies. The simple text and appealing cut-paper collage illustrations provide a complete iconography for a warm-and-fuzzy celebration for this winning character and his animal friends.–V. W.
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

From Booklist
PreS-Gr. 1. Expertly crafted cut-paper collages illustrate this simple roundup of holiday delights. Each page represents a day in December as Snowbear, a fuzzy white polar bear, prepares for the holidays and enjoys winter activities. On the first day he writes Santa; on the third day he hangs Christmas lights; and so on. There's plenty of playtime, too. On day ten he brings out his toy trains, and on day thirteen he sleds with his animal pals, who all join him on the twenty-fifth for presents and celebration. Skillfully combining textured and patterned papers, Smythe creates vivid, detailed scenes of Snowbear at work and play that capture both the joyful, energetic bustle and the deep coziness of the season, and his simple, direct words are just right for reading aloud. Merry and bright holiday fare that young children may want to return to throughout the year. Gillian Engberg
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 4-8
  
• Hardcover: 40 pages
• Publisher: Henry Holt and Company (September 23, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0805072446
• ISBN-13: 978-0805072440
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 9.1 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 11.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #1,183,158 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars countdown to christmas, December 8, 2004

By	Melissa Sack (georgia) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Snowbear is so excited that December is finally here! He has lots of things to do each day. Follow his adventures as the month flys by. He does things like decorates the Christmas Tree, watches his favorite holiday movies, and bakes Christmas goodies. When Christmas Day arrives he has a great day just being together with his friends.


The college illustrations were really fun to look at and added a lot to this simple picture book. Also the concept of counting is introduced in the story. This book would be great for a preschool class to share around Christmas.


Yes I would recommend the book to others. It's a great book to share with your family on any day in December!

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful New Holiday Children's Book That Teaches Numbers, October 15, 2004

By	Erika Sorocco (Southern California, USA) - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

The month of December is very special for Snowbear, as it is home to the Christmas holiday. So Snowbear begins making preparations for the big day. He puts up his decorations, sends out Christmas cards, writes a letter to Santa Claus at the North Pole, buys gifts for all of his friends, rides his sled, makes hot chocolate and cookies, and tons more. And as each day passes, Snowbear's excitement increases at the prospect of the holiday that is quickly coming.

Theresa Smythe has created a wonderful new children's book that captures the excitement that everyone feels around the Christmas holiday, while inserting a subtle teaching method, that will help young readers learn to count from 1 to 25 with the help of Snowbear. Filled with an easy-to-read story, and lovely illustrations SNOWBEAR'S CHRISTMAS COUNTDOWN will be a favorite among parents, and children, as well as educators.

Erika Sorocco
Book Review Columnist for The Community Bugle Newspaper

4.0 out of 5 stars Two boys' review: Snowbear appeals to preschoolers, November 30, 2008

By	Jared Castle (Roseburg, Oregon United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Snowbear's Christmas Countdown (Hardcover)

My two sons, ages 6 and 4, helped me pick out this bedtime story book because they both love bears. Beginning December 1, Snowbear and his animal friends, Charlie the penguin, Ray the squirrel, Harry the raccoon and Tom the rabbit prepare for Christmas.

What I like most about the book is that many of the activities, such as making ornaments or hanging a wreath, mirror what my sons have planned for December.

Here's another example that illustrates a lot can happen in 25 days, including an unplanned event: "On the 13th day he went sledding down the giant hill near his house. On the 14th day he caught a cold and had to stay in bed. On the 15th day he watched his favorite holiday movies and snuggled under the blankets."

In summary, if your child loves bears this is a good Christmas story to add to your bedtime story collection. Snowbear's Christmas Countdown is more charming than Bear Stays Up for Christmas, a pale sequel to the original Bear Snores On.