Bear Says Thanks

This book is a great fantasy book because it includes playful text and delightful illustrations that bring the story to life. Young readers would enjoy discovering the special gift Bear has to share and rejoicing in all of the wonderful things we have to be thankful for. It provides great themes such as gratitude, sharing and being thankful. The book contains many different forest animals that can inform children what their physical features are about their habitats. All of the animals bring food to the bear's cave and are talking to one another which is what makes it a fantasy. It can be read to teach about many different themes or just for fun which makes it a great fantasy as well. The rhyming and transitions from page to page makes show more it a great poem as well. show less

Bear's friends show up to his cave one by one with food items to contribute to a feast. Bear feels sad that he doesn't have anything to contribute ("My cupboards are bare!") but his friends reassure him ("You don't need any food, you have stories to share!" His friends hug him tight. "It will be all right"), and Bear says thanks.

Doesn't specifically mention Thanksgiving, but a great book to read around that time of year.

Does every single children's book HAVE to be about a boy??? It's a BEAR! It can be an it! At least one of the dozen characters coming in can be a girl. I'm so sick of the erasure of women and the glorification of anything male!

The friendly, outgoing bear plans to show his appreciation this friends by throwing a great big dinner for them all to get together and enjoy each other's company and show thanks. Everyone invited reassures their attendance by bringing big plates of food for them all to share but Bear comes to a problem where he has nothing to cook or offer for the dinner himself. The illustrations throughout the story of how Bear and his friends find a solution to this problem are fun, and eye-catching, keeping the reader involved in this finding the best solution for their appreciation dinner. It shows children to always be kind and appreciative for everything they have or give including friends and family.

This is a really good story about a group of friends who do not want anything in return, but do something very nice for their friend. It shows that the material things are not the ones that matter, it is about being together and being grateful for the things that you have.

Although not an actual Thanksgiving book per se, it is indeed a story of gratitude for the things that matter the most, our friends. And of course, lovable Bear and his friends show their appreciation for one another with a small feast. As with other books in this series, the story is told with rhyming text and features a feast of rich seasonal illustrations. Perfect for snuggling up and sharing together in the Fall or anytime of year.

Wilson, K. (2012). Bear says thanks. (Ill. by Jane Chapman) New York: Margaret K. McElderry Books. 40 pp. ISBN:1416958568(Hardcover); $13.43.

Wilson does it again in this new book about Bear and his forest friends! When all of Bear’s friends show up one by one with different platters of delicious food to share, he is delighted. There’s just one problem: Bear’s cupboards are bare and has nothing to share with his friends! He comes up with the perfect way to say thanks -- a delightful dinner at his home! Told in rhymed verse, the text reads aloud smoothly. As the animals arrive with their edible gifts, a repeated line, 'and the bear says thanks' gives children a chance to participate in the story; and, Chapman’s lively acrylic show more paintings make the most of it. - Michelle Angel show less