Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You Read?

Greetings. Brown Bear's the name. After great discussions with Matt's mater we agreed that I would be the best one to write a Bear Book Blog post. I wasn't entirely sure what a blog was but I understand that I get to have my say on my favourite books and that suits me just fine. The mater will type it up as my lack of fingers rather hinders the process.

I imagine you would like to know of my credentials before we commence? I am a rather fine specimen of bear who lives at a lovely Montessori nursery. I spend my days watching the children play and grow. On some weekends and holidays I am invited to visit one of the children in their own habitat. As a highly evolved and civilised creature I have a suitcase and I will travel. This year, in our corner of The Shire, the children were fortunate to have a seven week summer holiday. I was somewhat concerned that this would have been an awfully long time to sit on a shelf on my own but I was told that I would be going to spend the holidays with Matt.(I am not sure how I feel about shortening his name but his mater has ultimate editorial control). Matt was excited that he was the chosen one. The mater was very excited (overBEARingly so). I was determined to reserve my judgment until I had seen the bed and breakfast arrangements. 

All was in order at the homestead so I eased my frown and tried to settle in. Bears are pretty adaptable, you know. Look at Paddington. I was most happy when the first evening commenced with a bear book session. 

 

On my visits to the various nursery children I have been read many books- mainly about bears. I consider myself quite an expert and I feel the need to share the bear books that I enjoy and, most importantly, the books that put us bears in a good light.

Bear Necessities

I feel compelled to mention Winnie The Pooh and the aforementioned Paddington Bear immediately. However I do not intend to spend time discussing their collections of books. Firstly, there are so many books to consider. Second, they are both givens, classics, and I would like to think that you do not need me to tell you that they are a vital part of a child's reading list.  Third, the books are a little older than the books Matt and the mater are reading at the moment so they will fully embrace them in the near future: when the mention of Pooh Corner does not make the Mater grab the wipes. Finally, I have a problem with these celebrities of bear literature. There is a lot to learn about the world from Winnie the Pooh and a lot to learn about society from Paddington but their popular personae have overshadowed the stories. The Disneyfication of Winnie The Pooh and the latest Paddington film have diverged from the beauty of the original tales. Winnie the pooh is most intelligent writing; it is philosophical and wise. Yet it has been reduced to a an oversized keyring on a handbag. All the merchandise has sucked the soul out of Winnie the Pooh and gang. It saddens me. I say take back the toys, duvet set, and jumper, and READ the books. Similarly, whilst Paddington is a fitting icon for us bears far from home, trying to assimilate, it is his books that tell our plight and they tell it better that the latest movie. I am, of course, bitter because these bears are the reason that the world thinks we just eat honey or marmalade. For the record, my favourite food is cake. 
Yawn. I need a rest after all that growling...

Bear faced cheek

Another classic that you may be surprised to see omitted from my list is We're Going On A Bearhunt. As a Montessori bear I believe children need to play. So whilst I support the adventurous spirit of the children I am obviously totally opposed to bearhunting: real or pretend; actual or implied. I may need to ask Nicola at the nursery to only read the book when I am on my holidays. I do like the ending whereby the bear is left in peace but the story leaves me cold. Some of us left the cave a long time ago. For the ones that stayed this story is far from comforting. Neither is Matt a great fan. He has reached the point where his Grandad can read a sedate version at his house but under no circumstances can that book enter the sanctuary of his bedroom. The mater says it is a classic but she has never had a book inviting children to hunt her down. No persecution, no comment.

Bear Essentials

One book that children enjoy reading with me is Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See? Matthew's cousins read it to me at the library and very nice it was too. The illustrations are typical of Eric Carle. However, I wish he had persuaded the author to give Brown Bear more of a character and, most importantly, some of the food from The Very Hungry Caterpillar. This book is an essential introduction to colours and animals. I am, of course, biased since the book shares my name.

Postman Bear by Julia Donaldson is another great bear book. The rhymes are easy for young children to memorise and join in with. They also love the flaps but I find them difficult to open with my paws. I like this book because Postman Bear actually bakes his own cake thus proving that we are resourceful and capable creatures. We can make cakes without making a mess too- take note, Paddington. I would like to think that the lead character is a professional postman but I fear he is an amateur as he does not wear a uniform. JD missed as opportunity here as it is important to show young bears the range of career paths available. Criticism withstanding, this book is an essential lift the flap book. 

Peace at Last by Jill Murphy is one of my favourite books. Matt's book has a note inside which warns that it belongs to Emma Williams. I have no idea who she is but the book seems older than me and I am sure she won't mind my reading it. The story is about a Papa bear trying to get to sleep in his noisy home. The anxiety of not being able to find a place to sleep amuses me but Matt's mater says she really relates to it. She also says that Jill Murphy really understands parenthood. I love the story because it paints a true and lovely portrait of a civilised bear family in an ordinary life.  I also get to see this endless night play out in many a home that I visit. It is, all in all, an essential bedtime tale- as long as your child does not take on the role of the lively son at bedtime. 

Hugless Douglas by David Melling puts the bear into bear hug. This is a heartwarming and funny tale about a bear seeking his best hug. It is what semi-wild bears are about. I love Hugless Douglas' pyjamas and his big indulgent yawns but I do wonder where his manners are. I have never blown my nose on a rabbit's bottom. Nor do I intend to. The best thing about reading this book is that Matt gives out huge hugs afterwards. It is an essential cuddle book. 

Bear With

The Great Paper Caper by Oliver Jeffers is an entertaining read. It starts off with trees mysteriously being chopped down. We then meet a bear who appears to be ethically challenged. As the story unfolds you are taken through a criminal investigation and you get to hear the bear's plight. You are drawn in to the woods and wonder how it will be resolved. But all ends well. If you bear with this story it will stay with you. It has two great messages too- teamwork and tree protection. The book was HarperCollins' first picture book to be printed on The Forest Stewardship paper so my bear relations stand to benefit too. This is an essential book for championing not just literary bears but real ones too.

So, bear you have it. These are my recommendations. I urge you to read about bears but please read widely to avoid typecasting. Some of us have suitcases and pyjamas. Some of us live in woods, semi detached houses, or caves. Some like privacy, some like hugs, some have animal pals, and some have human companions. But all bears have a tail to tell. 

Hearts laid Bear
This is the rest of the tail of my summer with Matt.

Farewell Friends, BB.

Bearly Made it

After a tearful parting with Brown Bear (Matt cried a little too) we had to rebuild our lives. We decided to console ourselves with a library trip. It was here that we discovered a fantastic new bear book. Grrrrr by Rob Biddulph is the story of two bears competing to be the best bear in the wood. The story is entertaining, the illustrations are bold and colourful, and I love the inventive use of speech bubbles. Brown Bear would have loved this funny book about friendship as much as we did. Maybe the next child to have BB could read it to him. Please? And maybe, if you see him, remember me to him? Thanks.

Reading more  bear books than usual made a nice change from the horse and dragon tales that shaped the summer. But of course this is only part of the story.

The Third Law of Matt: When life hands you a bear turn him into a viking.

No Such Thing As A Gruffalo

During the snatched chinwags I get to have with my friends regarding reading to our little dahlings (what a top book pun) one name keeps coming up. It would seem that a children's book blog is incomplete without a reference to Julia Donaldson. So let's get started. 

Let me declare my position from the outset. I am, like most of you out there, a fan of Julia Donaldson's books. The former Children's Laureate deserves her huge popularity. Her many books are probably lining your shelves right now. You can find them in any bookshop or supermarket for that matter. Whilst JD's books retain their high standards we are happy for her to keep churning them out. 

I was first introduced to JD when I bought Room on the Broom for my niece and nephew. We all loved it straight away. I gave the narrator a Scottish accent for no reason at all and whoosh we were gone.  This book, like most of JD's stories as I was to discover, reads like a timeless tale and is delivered in her trademark tight rhymes. Where my favourite author Aggie C was the Queen of Crime so JD should be crowned the Queen of Rhyme. Few can maintain her quality of rhyme and interesting storyline so well in one book nevermind in so many books. We could discuss our growing collection of JD books for hours: from the delights of lifting the flaps in the glorious Tales from Acorn Wood to the lovely climax in Monkey Puzzle to feeling Christmassy in Stick Man. And we cannot avoid The Gruffalo. Although, actually, we very much do.

There's No Such Thing as The Gruffalo in Our House.

Allow me to defend our controversial position. The Gruffalo, why didn't you know?  He started as a creature with terrible teeth in terrible jaws and now is a much loved beast with his own website. Again, I first met The Gruffalo as a fun auntie. I thought that the rhyming, the illustrations, the tale, and the twist, all created a masterpiece. But the master will not have a piece of it, reading wise. Matt has the slippers, the pyjamas, and the proverbial cuddly toy. But he will not read the book! He is on board with the paraphernalia attached to the Gruffalo but he also feels that way about Spiderman and other popular characters.  I know we are very much swimming against the tide with this but that is pretty much the story of our life together so far.

Wish they did these for grown ups

If you have had the huge pleasure to meet Matt you will know that he is a character. He walks his own path. He likes to cut the dash in cords and flat cap. He is intent on riding a shire horse in the Grand National. He is his own mini man and knows his own mini mind. So, try as I might, the book stays on the shelf. The world famous tale of the mouse walking through the woods has not made it into his heart. It could be that my impeccable acting skills have gone too far again and I have made the story too frightening! But I think it all went to pot when we tried to make The Gruffalo more real. Too real. In the context of a journey through the real woods it all became a little too frightening for this little boy with a big imagination and a formative understanding of what is fact and fiction. The Gruffalo Trail became our Gruffalo trial.

                           One of these boys is hugging The Gruffalo. The other one is not so much.

Despite his excitement at spending the afternoon in the woods with Jack, Matt constantly had to check that it was still cardboard cut outs we were searching for and not real beasts. He never really relaxed into it. Since that day Matt has not wanted to read the book. His fear of The Gruffalo has developed in conjunction with his need for a stick sword every time we enter the woods. So what appears to be a rather boisterous little boy roaring through the trees is actually a very brave boy trying to protect us all. Matt is too distracted by the Gruffalo and the deep dark woods to follow the story and the boy certainly does not appreciate the mouse's trick at the core of the book. I think it is a book that we will revisit in the future. So, whilst I like the book it is not big on our list. And that is ok. JD and The Gruffalo will not suffer from our opting out and neither will Matt. Maybe if my pal (don't worry I won't name you, Elyse) can write a spin off based on her dad's invention of a wife for the Gruffalo we will get back into it. I am sure that 'The Muffalo' would fly off the shelves!

The reverse effect of The Gruffalo trail was experienced after watching a performance of The Scarecrow's wedding at the Lyceum Theatre by Scamp. We were invited along to see this show with our good pals. I was worried how Matt would cope for three reasons: he had not read the book very much; he does not like the dark; and he does not like people in costume (oversized cartoon costumes. He loves a Victorian as much as the next person.)  The book had the potential to win Matt over as it is set on a farm but for some reason it had failed to hold his attention. It is the tale of two scarecrows planning a wedding and Harry does his all to get everything they (Betty) want for their big day. I think Matt was initially disappointed with the equine absence in the book. Only today (as I type- who knows when you will read this) he showed his disdain for a rendition of Old MacDonald (Old MatDonald as he calls it) in the library because there was no horse.(Sorry about all the brackets. I will try to stop with the asides). I personally like The Scarecrow's Wedding- except for the ending. I find the resolution a little too bridezilla! Betty is saved from a fire and her reaction is phew we have everything on our list now let's marry. Surely a nicer and wiser ending would have been for the long sought after flowers to get ruined and for Betty to realise that the list wasn't important after all and only her love for Harry matters? Just a suggestion. Back to the show.

Ooh the excitement

                The boys were excited in the stalls. As were the fuzzy people in the background.

Matt looked a wee bit perplexed when the lights went out but the stage lit up, a banjo played and all was fine. He did not need my hand to hold although did take up my offer of a knee when a big head got in his way. The play was performed by three people and there were no hideous costumes. Phew. The humanization of the scarecrows as a love struck, giggly couple worked well. The boys were enthralled. The youngest of our posse, Eli, got so far into it he kept heckling the stage. The show gave a risky interpretation (depending on your definition of risk. Sorry more brackets). They used an armchair for a tractor, bells to represent cows, and the geese were portrayed with glove puppets. The one actor played a variety of roles as well as narrating. The shock of the day was that the boys were neither confused or disappointed by this approach. They accepted it and embraced it. Although Matt did cover his eyes at the kissing parts. They clapped along at the end and were both disappointed when it was over. Mrs S was relieved as Noah had been doing a wee dance for about twenty minutes. Over cake at an M&S cafe (the theatre cafe had closed after the performance- shame on you) we all agreed that it was a successful trip and that the show gave a great rendition of the book. Since then Matt has acted out a wedding with his Bruder figures and has showed a greater interest in the book. So a great result- that's culture for you, innit? 

The time has come to lay our cards on the table and declare our favourite JD books.  Drum roll please.  This has been a difficult task but we kept going for you, dear pals. First, our honourable mentions go to The Smartest Giant in Town, Tyrannosaurus Drip and The Troll as these are frequently chosen to be read at bedtime. However, the following are the JD books that most appeal to us.

One book that doesn't need bells or a banjo to win over Matt is The Highway Rat. It is his favourite JD book.

The Highway Matt

It is the tale of a greedy rat who steals food from other animals. He even 'once stole his own horse's hay'. Trying saying that fast. Most of the book flows in a lovely rhythm but I do cut some of the repetition of 'I am the rat of the highway' if it has been a long day. I am not sure Matt wholly gets the crux of the story when a clever duck leads the rat to a cave and he is enticed in by an echo. This is also a difficult piece of writing to read aloud. It is also hard to teach Matt the moral of the story when the naughty rat ends up working a cake shop which most three year olds would agree is a huge career success! However Matt loves a horse (if you didn't know) and the campfire picnic scene really holds his interest. It is food based so it is not one to read on an empty stomach or a full one. But, all in all it is a winner. 

My favourite JD book and Matt's second favourite after the above is Zog. This book is the tale of a dragon attending school and the progress he makes each year. Matt is three (possibly four when you read this) and he loves dragons and knights on horseback. Throw in a Princess and this book has it all. I don't want to spoil it for you so it is suffice to say that it is a modern fairytale that will appeal to all. It has a great twist of an ending.(Ignore that- The Other Parent spent the whole of The Usual Suspects telling me to wait for the massive twist so that when it came it was completely underwhelming!) For the reader, the book follows a simple structure with consistent rhythm so it is an effortless read. The little person has much to gain from this book too. Aside from the great characters there is a moral to the tale so maybe this should be the one JD book to demand our attention. This should be the one that girls and boys want to read. This should be the one we give as gifts and make a classic in our time. I urge you to read this to your children. Have I made my point?  

Ooooh look a baby dragon

And a knight. Wahoo.
And wait oh no- there's a cameo from The Gruffalo

Finally, the one that got away. There is one more JD book that should be on this list. Sugarlump and the Unicorn is the story of a horse who yearns for a different life and so follows a tale of his different horse world adventures. PERFECT. This book could have been Matt's forever book.  In fact, it is the story I would have loved to have written for Matt but with one small change: the cover. The issue we have with this book is that it had all the potential to win our hearts and minds but it fell at the first fence. If the unicorn could grant my wish it would be that the book had not been sparklified in the design/production process. There is a proud sticker on the cover of the book to celebrate that there is glitter on every page!? Why, WHy, WHY? The glitter is completely unnecessary and it's presence is detrimental to Matt's relationship to this book.

Son refused to be in photo

We practice sex equality at every opportunity. Matt has baby dolls and a pink buggy for them and in many ways he is open minded but more often than not he exhibits traditional masculine tendencies. And that is fine too. He is a little man boy trying to make sense of the world; to understand the codes and plot where he fits and what his role is. Matt does not identify with the book cover or the glitter and having the lead jockey in pink sparkly silks further alienates him from interacting with the story.

Should have been our winner

I have tried to explain that the glitter represents the Unicorn's magic but he cannot connect with it. Teaching Matt that glitter is for boys and girls is like telling him that vegetables are good for him. He hears it and he sort of understands it but he just doesn't feel it.

I am well aware we may be on our own with this but the point is that Matt sees himself as horse trainer, stable lad, cowboy, and jockey on any given day and he incorporates this into most play activities. It is no coincidence that the two JD books he has taken on as his faves feature horses. It is regrettable that the one story that would truly entertain him and engage his imagination is inaccessible because of a stylistic decision. I know boys and girls who would love the glittery book. I know boys and girls who would not even notice it. But, I do not know any other child who loves horses as much as Matt and who yearns for such a story. So, can we also use this opportunity to clarify that horse books, clothes, and toys do not have to be pink,purple or glittery? Thanks for that. I feel lighter now. Anyway, this could have been Matt's mostest favouritest book ever but he judged it by it's cover and is missing out on a wonderful story about his favourite animals. Maybe he will grow out of it and discover the delights of Sugarlump at some future point. I hope so- it is a lovely read. If you have a child who is not deterred by glitter then give this book a whirl. Actually, you can borrow our's!

For us there is no such thing as The Gruffalo, and Sugarlump is stuck in the starting gate, but we have a rat, dragons, a troll and a giant to inspire Matt's imagination and adventures. Now we just need some Zog slippers and some cake from The Highway Rat and we will be all set.

Few authors know their audience so well. Few authors write so broadly, wittily, softly, sweetly, or scarily as JD. The stories entertain parents and children alike. Read them, treasure them, share them, for Julia Donaldson's books are, without a doubt, the safe bet in children's literature. But, sometimes, Matt and I also like to take a punt on an outsider and that can pay dividends too. 

Introduction: The Pleasures and Pitfalls of Reading to Children

You know that feeling- when you have been dragged out of bed at six am, played vikings, watched an imaginary falconry show, applied two plasters to minuscule injuries, saved a light bulb from the brink of smashdom, served two different breakfasts, and played dinosaurs, and you sit and look pleadingly at the clock to calculate how long it is until bedtime- then you discover that it isn't 8 am yet. This is the time to Bring out the Books!

Motherhood has dragged me into the world of horses, farming, fighting (sometimes of the play variety), building, mud, and machinery. Matt is never happier than chasing me with a stick sword or making me his bucking bronco at the rodeo. It is not least due to this fact that books play a significant role in our lives. Books give us an opportunity to slow down. To create closeness. To sit and have quiet time together. (Except those books with noise tabs. Who invented those? Whilst I am on this subject who decided that libraries need tunnels, tents, or mock hot air balloons? Matt may embrace it but I am not so sure).

Despite the sideshows, we make regular library visits and we read most days whether it be at home, in the car, the garden, the woods; anywhere and everywhere. Don't be thinking us a pair of nerdy bespectacled geeks - that only applies to one half of this duo. I have been an avid reader since the days of yore and have fond memories of Billy Blue Hat. How wonderful it is to be able to share this life enhancing hobby with my young son. And it is. Most of the time. The joy we share when we receive an Amazon parcel is pretty epic. Matt is also up for most book adventures but he is possibly the most enthusiastic about reading at bedtime. It is his favourite form of sleep aversion. I usually open the bidding with a couple of books. This can be dependent on what I fancy reading (anything by Judith Kerr), what issues need addressing (Teeth are Not for Biting), what is on the forthcoming agenda in the real world (George's First Day at Playgroup), or what I have the energy for (Cowboy Small). Matt then selects a small hoard to add to the pile. After we have read all of these he will ask for another last story. And I will relent. (And hope for the best.)

Most of the time our reading journey is exciting, amusing, and fulfilling, but sometimes not so much. Reading had always been a solitary affair for me but now it involves a demanding, opinionated, and active audience. Sometimes reading requires more energy than I have, sometimes we want different types of stories, and sometimes the material is hard to work with. Yup, I am afraid that there are some books I would gladly pop in the charity bag if it wasn't for the enjoyment on Matt's face. Although the smile could be from making me read said book time and again. Sometimes, the last thing I want to do in an evening is read a chaotic book with lots of words; the last thing I may care about on a given night is whether Wibbly Pig brushes his teeth or whether we will get the Little Red Train back to it's shed, but on we read.

This is the point of the blog. We are exploring the world of children's literature as a mismatched pair in a three legged race. There are lots of laughs, moments of brilliance, and wonderful closeness. The process is good for you and character building, but also, sometimes, it feels like one is being dragged as the other tries to race ahead. Sometimes, it is like hobbling through treacle, wearing flip flops. Often, we want to go in different directions, at different speeds, and one is much in need of a sports bra. But we keep going. (I almost stretched the metaphor and went with it is a marathon not a sprint. Imagine the shame if I had kept it in.) We may not always be on the same page but, side by side, we are forging ahead on our journey and building a great relationship to books together. This is crucial before Matt becomes an independent reader and our book adventures will head in a different direction.

This blog is about the fun and failures we have as we try to master the art of reading together. We aim to celebrate our love of books and share some of the highlights of our reading adventure- the Good (Little Wolf), the Bad (Tempered LadyBird), and the Ugly (Duckling). It is an attempt to preserve some of the moments we share as we read, to recommend the books we enjoy; to review the body of literature; and to reflect on what remains to be written...

"So, let the wild rumpus start..."

N.B. There is another potential reader in the house: The Dad. However, as Matt tells anyone who will listen- Daddy cannot read me stories as he misses pages out. This man cannot be trusted but we will continue to retain him for swing pushing duties only.