Bear at Home

For the last five nights in a row since we got this book from the library, my little girl requests this book by saying "book! key!" or "bear!" before her naps and night time sleep. And when we get to the last page, she says "key!" and we go back to the beginning. Plenty of things to look for in the wonderful pictures.

This was my daughter's favorite book from about 6 mos until 12 mos. At 16 she prefers longer, more involved books, but still picks the bear books several times a week. She really likes to find the cat on each page. We also love Bear's Busy Family and Bear in Sunshine. I don't feel Bear in a Square is nearly as good.

One of the cute "bear" series, in a sturdy board book. Perfect for the pre-reading child, we tour bear's brightly colored home, rhyming as we go. The floorplan at the end is cute, and it's fun to watch your child puzzle out which room is which--after all, we're looking at the rooms from above. A great, reasonably priced gift for the pre-reading child.

Bear's home is a bright, whimsical dream cottage. It is full of cheerful Tricia-Guild-type decor (purple floors, red-and-white checkered floors, green walls, fuchsia stair railings), loyal family (Bear's cat is always with him), and all the traditional trappings of "cozy" -- flower boxes, umbrella stands, tea cups, toys, a big squishy sofa, books, family photos, a bubblebath, a teddy bear, and glowing candles. Bear himself always has a little smile on his face. The floor plans at the end of the book are charming. One of my family's favorites.

"Bear at Home" is a very colorful and satisfying book for preschoolers. Basically it involves a tour of bear's house (he lives like a human does, and his pet cat also appears on every page) and his activities in each room, told in rhyming couplets. "This is the hallway where bear climbs the stairs... and this is the library with big, cozy chairs." The book's beginning invites us to "open the door, and what do you see?" which makes for great one-on-one sharing with toddlers, who will be glad to point out the various objects found in the house. The art work is simple, appealing, and very colorful, right down to the endpapers. Best of all, there is a map of bear's house at the end of the book showing all the rooms we have visited. (I would have loved that as a kid, and would have wanted to draw a map of my own house!) A good book for kids ages 1-3.