Bears in the Bath

March 17, 2014
It’s bath time for the four small bears from Bears on Chairs and Bears in Beds, and boy do they ever need it: “Dust and dirt smudge/ Floppy Bear./ Are those cobwebs/ in her hair?/ Fuzzy Bear/ trudges in./ Mud spatters her/ from toes to chin!” But despite Big Brown Bear’s prodding, the four little bears aren’t ready to get clean—at least not until Big Brown leads by example. Walker’s acrylic paintings make the bears as adorable and personable as ever, and Parenteau’s peppy descriptions of their in-the-tub antics (“They toss the bubbles./ They giggle and shriek”) may persuade a few reluctant bathers to dive in. Ages 2–5.

March 1, 2014

PreS-Gr 1-Big Brown Bear inspects his dirty brood, beginning when "The bath is ready." The four cubs, all in need of a good scrub, are introduced one at a time-Floppy, Fuzzy, Calico, and Yellow Bear-each with a couplet explaining why the bath is necessary. Despite the cobwebs, mud, and grime, the bears don't want to get in the water. Big Brown Bear chases them around the tub, and "SPLISH, SPLASH, SPLOOSH!" -he jumps in and the rest of them follow. The rhyming text is sing-songy and smooth, despite the forced feeling of the introductory "there" and "bears." The subdued acrylic hues of the salmon pink, sky blue, soft yellow, tan, and light brown bears-and their resemblance to the kinds of simple, fuzzy bears used to decorate nurseries-create a childlike feel. The ample white space surrounding the bears allows children to focus on the cuddly critters. This is a sweet story for children to share with their grown-ups before bed or bath time or to pair with Brett Helquist's Bedtime for Bear (HarperCollins, 2010).-Whitney LeBlanc, Staten Island Academy, NY

Copyright 2014 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

March 1, 2014
These bears, returning in the third book in the series having conquered chairs and beds (Bears in Chairs, 2009; Bears in Beds, 2012), are in need of a bath. Jaunty rhyme is the order of the day as Big Brown Bear draws the bath for Floppy, Fuzzy, Calico and Yellow Bear. Each bear is quite filthy and in need of a bath. But before the bath, the bears have to do their traditional paw-dragging: "All four bears / back away. / 'We don't want / a bath, ' they say." Grungy little ones will laugh at the antics of these jolly bears, who outsmart Big Brown Bear only to join him in the tub for a huge communal bubble bath. Wide swaths of white space highlight the pastel-colored bears and allow toddlers to notice how every detail in the text is shown in the illustrations. With large font and short phrases, each easy-to-read four-line stanza moves the story forward to its splashy conclusion. Children will be amused by the bouncy rhymes, which are easy for toddlers to grasp and eventually memorize. It's nice to read strong verbs like smudge, trudge, scoop, wriggle and giggle in a book for toddlers, helping them build their vocabulary and adding interest for the adults who will no doubt read this many times. Splish! Splash! Everyone will look forward to a bath. (Picture book. 2-5)

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July 1, 2014
While trying to get four grubby bear cubs to take a bath, Big Brown Bear gets dirty himself, so he climbs into the tub alone. He has such a good time that the little bears decide to join him, and everyone gets clean. The cheerful rhyming story--the third one about these bears--is accompanied by equally cheery illustrations in soft pastel colors.

(Copyright 2014 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)