When we were little Sunday…
When Ned was born his dad insisted we get a copy of Bears In The Night because he remembered it from when he was little.
Bears in the Night is one of the Bright and Early Books for Beginning Beginners series written by Stan and Jan Berenstain. There’s not much to this skinny little book but Ned’s dad can remember it word for word. The text is great because it matches exactly what is happening in the illustration and is repetitious which aids children in memorising the story - one of the first steps to reading. There are only 24 words used in the story but repeated over and over and over again.
There is also an exciting build up as the bears sneak out of bed late at night - what’s going to happen? - and then a big BOOO and back you go through the text until the bears are safe in bed again. It is quite fun to read aloud as you can use lots of different tones and speeds with your voice.
There are now so many Berenstain Bears books in print I’ve lost count (I think there are over 250), although I do remember the favourite of my brother and I was The Bike Lesson. The Bears now have their own TV series and website.
Thanks for the memory - I will have to get some as there are currently NO Berenstain Bears books in my house ( *gasp!* ), although MC does love the website.
18 Aug 2008 at 10.18 am
I am not alone in being one whose parents kept ALL my books from when I was growing up. For a long time all my Dr Seuss books were on Ella’s shelf, along with old nursery rhyme books, Peter Rabbit and Mr Mens. Now we’ve taken out the Little House books as we’ve moved to chapter books - we’re up to Plum Creek already and I’m loving reading them as much if not more than Ella. Milly Molly Mandy is also a hit in this house. Pippi Longstocking was another favourite chapter book. We tried Wind in the Willows - but the chapters are quite long and the language a little advanced for an almost 5 year old.
I’d love to hear more on any ideas for age appropriate chapter books when you get the chance.
19 Aug 2008 at 6.04 pm
great pick…. we’ve checked it out at the library, but strangely i don’t own that one….. googling… now!
20 Aug 2008 at 11.23 pm
Chapter books! … I’m not generally into recommending Enid Blyton but from the moment I read her Faraway Tree series I became a fan of these 4 books.
Looking up details about them I was surprised at their publication dates:
The Enchanted Wood (1939)
The Magic Faraway Tree (1943)
The Folk of the Faraway Tree (1946)
Up the Faraway Tree (1951)
All 4 stories focus on an enchanted wood with one gigantic magical tree discovered by three adventurous siblings (Jo, Bessie and Fanny) allowed to explore at random in days gone by when children’s freedom was unrestrained.
At the top of the Faraway Tree is a ladder which accesses a magic land - a different place every time they visit - but not always entirely pleasant - and there is always the tension of making sure they get down ther ladder before the land moves on. Great excitment and along the way they meet the folk of the Faraway Tree including Moonface, Silky the fairy, Saucepan Man, Dame Washalot, Mr Watzisname and the Angry Pixie. Great characterisation, as I remember.
Long before I had children I remember reading this book to my younger sister and stimulating her imagination to such an extent that she and the boy next door when off on their own adventure looking for the Faraway Tree in our pedal car. (Eventually found some hours later by frantic parents.)
Haven’t read it recently but will dig it out at the appropriate time for my grandson - and hope the language doesn’t disappoint.
22 Aug 2008 at 5.43 pm