The Bear on the Bed

I thought this was a very cute book! It rhymes and talks about all the things a bear could have been doing while camping instead of jumping on this little girls bed. I love the Illustration. I can't believe another reviewer wouldn't read the word "poop". I guess they don't have the Book "Everyone Poops" which is a great potty training book for your child.:)

While I admit the ending surprised me (having read no reviews yet), my son was just delighted! In an age where so many childrens' books are squeaky clean, it's nice to find one a bit more real. My son loves to point out that the bear needs to be potty-trained, which shows a level of logical reasoning that I didn't realize he had achieved. Oh, and the pictures are adoreable, too!

I'm a children's librarian who has used this book with groups from age 4-adult with as many as 150 listeners at a time. I have yet to meet anyone who was offended by the final page. Listeners tend to gasp in amazement "Did she really say what I thought she said?" and then burst into gales of laughter.Anyone who has had a pet can relate to our camper's consternation--who hasn't had a pet leave a "present" somewhere?For young children who occasionally have accidents, it's reassuring that a little "oops" can be laughed away.This is a fun read-aloud. The art is just absurb enough not to be cloying. The verses flow well and your children will soon be repeating, "He could have, he should have, he didn't. Instead..." as this loveable bear does all kinds of naughty things like dancing, playing his banjo and bouncing on the bed before reaching the surprise at the end.To the reviewer that objected to the last page of "Bear on the Bed", I'd like to recommend "Everyone Poops" by Taro Gomi -it might give you a whole new perspective on things. For the rest of you, this is a book you will probably really enjoy.

As a children's librarian, I have used this book in numerous storytimes and programs. It is a delight to share aloud with children, as you read the rhyming, rhythmic text that portrays the author's actual experience with a bear while at camp in her childhood. Yes, the last page says "The bear POOPED on my bed", which has brought hysterical giggles to children in the 2-8 year range but might be offensive to some. However, if you are a parent or educator that does not find this offensive, then buy this book - it is guaranteed to delight you and your children. One tip, though: keep the ending a surprise until the last page, and watch your children's faces evolve from incredulous to hysterical.