Old Bear

An old bear settles in for the winter in this sweet and very simple picture-book from Kevin Henkes, who is probably best known for his "mouse stories" - titles like the Caldecott Honor Book Owen, Chrysanthemum, and Lilly's Purple Plastic Purse. Dreaming of the spring, and of his days as a young cub, the bear experiences the glories of the seasons, before waking up and discovering that another winter has passed.

There is a gentle quality to this simple tale, with no more than a sentence or two per page, that is immensely appealing. The accompanying illustrations, created with watercolor paint and ink, have the feeling almost of woodblock prints: a style that I find very appealing. There's not much to it, but the overall feeling of Old show more Bear is one of contented sleepiness. What could be better, in a bedtime book? show less

And here I thought, after all those enchanting dreams, that *old* bear would wake up in heaven. But, was I wrong, really? Spring in the forest is actually quite heavenly. And joy can be felt even when not countered with sorrow. Bravo, Henkes, you've revealed your genius to us yet again.

I really enjoyed the illustrations and I thought the bright use of watercolors (I think) was a good choice for this happy story. I think it is such a great idea to write a story about what a bear dreams while hibernating in the winter. The writing is clear and timeless which I really appreciate in a children's book.

I love the illustrations in this novel, and the attention to color and detail. This cute book tells the story of an old bear who dreams of all the different seasons during his sleep, and being a cub again. He dreams about the beauty of the world which is shown through the illustrations.

Old Bear is children’s picture book that follows an old bear through hibernation. Once old bear is asleep he begins to dream about being a cub, remembering how much he loved all the different seasons. While I do not believe this book has the best plot I believe the thought that went behind each decision made was the fascinating part. The illustrations are amazing and the detail used throughout is spectacular. The pages are all full of color; my favorite page is the autumn page. The picture and the text work together allowing you to only need to see one element to come up with a picture in your head. The text says, “Everything was yellow and orange and brown, even the birds and fish and the water.” This statement gives you a clear show more visual of an autumn day in old bears dream. Even the fine details were consciously thought out, the color of the text on every page also matches up with the season and old bears dream. It is small detail like that you don't think adds much to the book, but actually makes a world of difference. (The book I looked at was not a board book.) show less

This story differs from the many other Henkes stories that I have read. Instead of focusing on a human or mouse problem, it follows the seasons and hibernation schedule of a bear. This speaks to the intriguing plot as well. Many young readers will be curious as to what a bear does the entire time it is sleeping and why it sleeps so long. The topic automatically gains their attention. The next aspect which grabs his readers’ eye is his elaborate illustration of each season and the bear’s dreams. He uses colors specific to each season and allows the photos to expand and grow in size as the dream progresses. On the other hand, he also used his language to describe the feelings that come with each season. He tells of the joy in spring, show more and then reflects that emotion in the colors of the illustration with bright blues and yellows. This is exactly how Henkes conveyed his main idea that bears, like humans, experience and dream the vivid colors and delight of the seasons. show less

Kevin Henkes' stories have always offered a whimsical retreat into the egocentrism and emotion of childhood. His "Lilly" Mouse is rambunctious and adoring, and mostly chiefly concerned with but one person: herself. At least the children I know can relate, especially when we read together about Lilly's new baby brother or her Kindergarten class's teacher and her wonderful name, or any of the other common, everyday experiences Lilly has. Henkes' stories are, above all else, honest and relatable for children.

But Henkes took a fresh detour with his lushly illustrated "Kitten's First Full Moon," and he follows it now with the similarly styled "Old Bear." Upon first glance at the cover, you may just be filled with the irresistable urge to show more offer up bear hugs to those around you; Henkes' soft, charming illustrative work (done with ink and watercolors) and his round, lovable (and lovely to look at) characters in these latest works just make you feel that good.

He relies on this visual charm to sustain "Old Bear," a wonderful salute to a bear's winter hibernation and what dreams unfold while he sleeps. From Fall to Winter, Spring to Summer, this bearish slumber offers a full appreciate of the seasons and is the kind of book that will have you wishing you had a roaring fire at your side, a mug of hot cocoa to accompany it, and a well-worn armchair to read in - with the crisp autumn air nipping at the window outside. show less