Module 5/SLIS 5420/September 28th

Old Bear
by Kevin Henkes

Bibliography

Henkes, K. (2008). Old bear. United States of America: http://www.harpercollinschildrens.com/
ISBN 978-0-06-155226-9


Summary

Old bear goes to sleep to hibernate for the winter and dreams about the beauty seen within each season until he awakes in the spring.


My Impression

I was surprised to find this was a recently written book because the style and colors used in illustrations resemble that of older works. I like the author’s approach of taking one through the seasons with a mix of true elements and whimsical.

Reviews

From School Library Journal
Henkes cleverly begins his story on the front jacket. Against a backdrop of red leaves and drifting snowflakes, a large and endearing molasses-colored bear, defined by sturdy dark brown lines, strides across the page. His journey continues through the opening spreads: it is obvious that this creature knows exactly where he is heading…Henkes has created a thoroughly delightful character filled with curiosity and sweetness and placed him in a simple tale that unfolds with a natural, rhythmical pace. And to fill out his cyclical story, the artist provides autumnal front endpapers and contrasting vernal back endpapers. Opportunities to introduce the seasons, colors, and animal hibernation abound. Old Bear will enrapture young listeners for years to come.—Barbara Elleman, Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art, Amherst, MA

From Booklist
Henkes returns to the artistic style of his Caldecott Medal winner, Kitten’s First Full Moon (2004), and A Good Day (2007) in another picture-book celebration of simple, pure joy…They’ll want to linger over the scenes of Old Bear’s whimsical dreams, rendered in bold outlines and color washes that move with the seasons from pastel spring through icy-blue winter. Young children already know what Old Bear discovers: the lines between imagined and real worlds are blurry, and each place is filled with wonderment. --Gillian Engberg

Suggested Activities

Revisit the text and make a t-chart for which things in the story really happen or can be seen within each season and which are fantasy. (If you are a Texas teacher this goes along with the K-2 TEK of students knowing the difference between fiction and non-fiction, including fact and fantasy).

Use this book as an introduction to explain hibernation. Have students search non-fiction animal texts and create a list of other animals that hibernate.