Bear's Big Dreaming

by Michael Rosen, Daniel Egnéus (Illustrator)

Overview

From beloved author Michael Rosen (We’re Going on a Bear Hunt) and award-winning illustrator Daniel Egnéus comes a modern classic picture book about love, hope and the dreams that sustain us.

* “A soothing tale that will be welcomed in autumn or at bedtime in any season of the year.” —Booklist, starred review

The Cold is coming, and it’s time for Big Bear and Little Bear to get ready for the Big Sleep: for bears sleep all winter long, and wake up in the spring. But Little Bear is worried. What if they run out of dreams during the Big Sleep? Little Bear sets out bravely to find enough dreams to see them through the long winter. On his journey, he discovers dreams of happiness, dreams of homecoming, and dreams of hope.

But with the Cold approaching fast, will Little Bear make it back home in time for the Big Dreaming?

A resonant and uplifting tale from a master storyteller, The Big Dreaming is a classic in the making, filled with luminous illustrations by award-winning artist Daniel Egnéus.

Read Bear’s Big Dreaming if you are looking for:

A cozy bedtime book to inspire sweet dreams

A gift to treasure with stunning gold foil

A seasonal story that introduces bear hibernation

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781547613304
Publisher:	Bloomsbury USA
Publication date:	10/31/2023
Pages:	32
Product dimensions:	10.10(w) x 11.00(h) x 0.35(d)
Age Range:	3 - 6 Years

About the Author

Daniel Egnéus is a prolific artist who has illustrated numerous books, including several Neil Gaiman titles. He was voted Best Illustrator by the Association of Illustrators in 2005, and his picture book, Lubna and Pebble, (written by Wendy Meddour) was chosen by TIME Magazine as one of the 10 best picture books 2019. He has illustrated multiple titles for Bloomsbury, including Be Wild, Little One by Olivia Hope and Fox by Isabel Thomas. He is based in Athens.

Editorial Reviews

* Rosen's words and Egnéus' lovely pictures combine to create a soothing tale that will be welcomed in autumn or at bedtime in any season of the year.” —Booklist, starred review

“This sweet bedtime story [is] cozy and comforting...Egnéus's loose watercolors and use of contrasting dark and light values for the backgrounds are gorgeous and will make readers feel as if they are in a forest. A solid purchase for any preschool collection.” —School Library Journal

“Be ready to share a dream with the little one who asks you to read this.” —Kirkus Reviews

“Luminously beautiful.” —The Guardian on BE WILD, LITTLE ONE, illustrated by Daniel Egnéus

“* Extraordinary in writing and illustration.” —The Horn Book, starred review, on FOX, illustrated by Daniel Egneus

“* A deeply fulfilling look at the ups and downs of natural selection.” —Shelf Awareness, starred review, on MOTH, illustrated by Daniel Egneus

From the Publisher

2023-07-26
A small bear getting ready for hibernation gathers other animals’ dreams so he won’t run out.

Little Bear has never been through the Sleep before, and he’s nervous about the unknown. He and Big Bear decide that the Sleep is a “Big Dreaming.” But Little Bear’s newest worry is that he will run out of dreams; “then there would be a Big Nothing.” So he sets off to look for some dreams, asking Squirrel, Rabbit, and Wolf if they have any spare dreams. “Squirrel, Squirrel, Squirrel,” he says. “We’re getting ready for the Big Dreaming, / we’re getting ready for the Sleep. / Do you have any spare dreams, / for when we sleep, deep, deep?” Each does, and it turns out to be a good thing, as their lessons prove vital in helping Little Bear find his way back to Big Bear once the snow starts falling. In palette, tone, and layout, Egnéus’ illustrations resemble the artwork from older Golden Books, with highlights of turquoise, orange, deep red, and greens. The animals are more realistic than not. (This book was reviewed digitally.)

Be ready to share a dream with the little one who asks you to read this. (Picture book. 3-7)

Kirkus Reviews