Bears on Chairs

by Shirley Parenteau, David M. Walker (Illustrator)

Overview

“Between the unerringly positive approach to a common early-childhood dilemma and the can't-miss rhyme, this will find its place on many a shelf.” —Kirkus Reviews

Four chairs. Four cuddly bears. All is well until Big Brown Bear shows up — what a stare! — and wants a seat. Can these clever bears put their heads together (among other things) and make space for one more? With expressive illustrations and a sustained rhyme in every line, this winsome tale makes sharing irresistible and is sure to have little listeners sitting up to take notice.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780763650926
Publisher:	Candlewick Press
Publication date:	02/08/2011
Series:	Bears on Chairs
Pages:	32
Product dimensions:	5.94(w) x 6.50(h) x 0.66(d)
Lexile:	AD380L (what's this?)
Age Range:	3 Months to 3 Years

About the Author

 

Editorial Reviews

Between the unerringly positive approach to a common early-childhood dilemma and the can't-miss rhyme, this volume will likely find its place on many a daycare shelf.
—Kirkus Reviews

Parenteau’s brief rhythmic text is bouncy and light, and ideal for reading aloud. Themes of sharing and compassion are introduced in developmentally appropriate, subtle ways, and the bears’ discovery of their own resolution is a refreshing conclusion to the story. Walker’s acrylic illustrations match the airy lyricism and mood of the text.
—School Library Journal

Along with the visual treat of watching softly colored bears and chairs on expanses of white pages, this book cleverly melds words and art.
—Booklist

From the Publisher

"Four small chairs / just right for bears. / Where is the bear / for each small chair?" One by one, Calico, Fuzzy, Yellow and Floppy Bears take their seats, but what to do when Big Brown Bear shows up and there's no chair? Parenteau's rhythm and rhyme never falter as the bears experiment with different seating configurations that might accommodate all five bear bottoms. Walker positions his soft-edged, pastel-colored bears (and their chairs) against a clean white background, their overlarge heads and comforting smiles immediately in tune with toddlers' aesthetics. While his bears are not highly developed characters, slight differences in color and texture-and Floppy Bear, in particular, is pleasingly spineless-will help small children track the characters' movements. While the bears' solution is hardly rocket science, their cooperative approach will appear revolutionary to the book's target audience. Between the unerringly positive approach to a common early-childhood dilemma and the can't-miss rhyme, this volume will likely find its place on many a daycare shelf. (Picture book. 2-5)

Kirkus Reviews