The First Bear - Hardcover

Hansen, Felicity

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 1841480126 ISBN 13: 9781841480121

Publisher: Barefoot Books, 2000

Synopsis

After making a cloud into a friend for a lonely boy, the Great Bear, made of stars, and the once sad child are forever bound in friendship, in a tale which explains the tradition of giving bears to comfort young children.

About this title

From School Library Journal:

Kindergarten-Grade 2-The Great Bear, an omniscient constellation, creates the first stuffed bear as a companion to a lonely orphan living with his uncaring aunt. "First bear" is created from a golden cloud and sent to Earth on a moonbeam, but he is cautioned to return to the sky where he will become a star when the boy leaves home. Although he wants to obey these instructions, the loyal toy accompanies the child to boarding school, sensing that he is still needed. In fact, he stays until the boy becomes an old man and it is "time for him to leave the earth," at which time the Great Bear lifts both of them to the sky where they become stars. The "first bear" also convinces his creator that having a bear to love would make children grow up to be kind adults who know how to take care of others, and that is how children everywhere came to have bears for company. This tale about friendship, sacrifice, and character building is saccharine and inconsistent. The writing is uninspired and the illustrations, rendered in oil paints, though technically well done, are wooden. There are many better cuddly bear stories.
Marlene Gawron, Orange County Library, Orlando, FL
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc.

About this edition

• Publisher: Barefoot Books
• Publication date: 2000
• ISBN 10: 1841480126
• ISBN 13: 9781841480121
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition number: 2
• Number of pages: 32
• Illustrator: Carnabuci Anthony