Don't You Feel Well, Sam? (Sam Books) - Hardcover

Hest, Amy

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0763610097 ISBN 13: 9780763610098

Publisher: Candlewick, 2002

Synopsis

Mama finds a gentle way to make the medicine go down in another timeless tale about Sam and Mrs. Bear, the endearing stars of KISS GOOD NIGHT.

It was a cold, cold night
on Plum Street.

In the little white house, Mrs. Bear is putting Sam to bed, when suddenly - Hck hck! coughs Sam. Mrs. Bear gets some syrup. But the syrup tastes bad, and there’s too much of it on a too-big spoon, and Sam can’t swallow it. What will make Sam feel better?

In this endearing follow-up to KISS GOOD NIGHT, acclaimed picture book creators Amy Hest and Anita Jeram revisit Sam and Mrs. Bear as they share a quiet moment of comfort that is enough to conquer the coldest night.

About this title

About the Author

Amy Hest is the author of many books, including KISS GOOD NIGHT and WHEN JESSIE CAME ACROSS THE SEA, both of which received the Christopher Medal; and IN THE RAIN WITH BABY DUCK, winner of the Boston Globe- Horn Book Award. She says, "My kids are way bigger than I am now, but I remember some long-ago nights . . . and rushing to their rooms when things weren’t quite right. There were many hugs, of course. And occasionally, a dose of terrible-tasting medicine, then we watched the night sky."

Anita Jeram is the illustrator of the best-selling GUESS HOW MUCH I LOVE YOU by Sam McBratney and KISS GOOD NIGHT by Amy Hest. She is also the author-illustrator of I LOVE MY LITTLE STORYBOOK; BUNNY, MY HONEY; and ALL TOGETHER NOW. About DON'T YOU FEEL WELL, SAM? she says, "My children love the anticipation of a snowfall, and to see a ‘brand-new’ crisp, white landscape outside is like magic. Sam shares that magic with his Mama, and it helps him to be brave."

Reviews

reSchool-Grade 2-When putting Sam to bed, Mrs. Bear hears him cough. She tries to give him medicine but he doesn't like the taste and there is too much of it. With the promise of waiting together for the snow to come, the cub finally takes the cough syrup. Mother and child go downstairs, have some tea, and cuddle up in a soft, cozy chair, where Mrs. Bear tells a story about a bear named Sam. As they sleep, the snow begins to fall, and the last page shows them building a snowbear. Jeram's soft, saturated acrylic illustrations extend Hest's quiet, gentle text. The bears are the focal point on every spread, and their household has lots of warm, subtle touches and curving lines that give the book a comfortable look. Two mice appear throughout; they, too, are part of this loving environment. A feel-good story to curl up with on a cold winter night.
Kathleen Simonetta, Indian Trails Public Library District, Wheeling, IL
Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

In this followup to the team's Kiss Good Night, bear cub Sam comes down with a cough "Hck, hck!" he hacks and is doted upon by his unflappable mother. If Sam can steel himself to take his cough medicine ("Tastes bad," he says, before his mother even pours out the syrup. "I don't have a cough"), then Mrs. Bear will reward his bravery by letting him stay up to watch the snowfall. "Sam leaned back on his mama's soft belly, and it wriggled while she talked," writes Hest after the deed is done. "The little fire glowed and the kitchen was warm." Jeram nestles tiny Sam into Mrs. Bear's voluminous girth (sweetly playing up the contrast in their sizes, as she did so effectively in the first book), while the thickly textured ocher walls of their snug home seem to stand guard against the frigid night. As in the earlier title, Hest's soothingly rhythmic and repetitive prose, Jeram's burnished-hued acrylics, and the unwavering affection between Sam and his mother conjure up the essence of familial warmth. Being sick may have its downside, but the author and illustrator emphasize the extra coddling and indulgences that come with feeling under the weather. Ages 2-6.
Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

*Starred Review* PreS. This follow-up to the best-selling Kiss Good Night (2001) will comfort little ones like a cozy blanket that's tucked in just right. It's another stormy, winter bedtime on Plum Street, and Sam begins to cough. Mrs. Bear plies him with syrup, but it tastes bad, and there's "too much syrup on a too-big spoon." Mrs. Bear tells Sam to be brave, and she promises that once he downs the medicine, they can wait together for the snow. Sam swallows the bitter syrup, and the bears make tea and snuggle together next to the fire for stories. Just as they doze off, the snow arrives. As in the first title, Hest's words and Jeram's pictures are a winning combination. The simple text's repetitive rhymes and lulling rhythms transform the language of a fussy preschooler who doesn't feel well into a mood of reassuring, snug warmth that is beautifully echoed in Jeram's paintings. The soft acrylics in deep red, gold, and green get the cozy details just right--the big purple chair; Sam's thick robe and slippers; the friendly mice warming themselves by the fire. Best of all is the irresistible tenderness in the bears' faces, figures, and small gestures. A quiet, shining story of things made better. Gillian Engberg
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

Edition details

• Publisher: Candlewick
• Publication date: 2002
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0763610097
• ISBN 13: 9780763610098
• Binding: Hardcover
• Illustrator: Jeram Anita
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 32