A den is a bed for a bear

Title: A den is bed for a Bear

Author: Becky Baines

Illustrator: none- real photo stock images chosen by publisher and author

Publishing company: National Geographic Children’s Books

Copyright date: 2008

Number of pages: 32 pages

Genre: nonfiction

          I chose this book because it was a cute and very informative nonfiction book.  In case you haven’t noticed, most of my books have been chosen by the interests of the children in my life.  My nieces and nephews love this book.  I thought that it would be a mostly ‘boy’ book, but that is not the case.  The girl’s love it too!  This book talks about hibernation and bears.  It discusses what other animals hibernate and where they live. Then it asks children to think about what they would do if a bear was hibernating in their room.  It asks students to think about other animals and their lives.   

          The art in this book is factual images or digital art.  The photos are stock photos, used with permission, by the author and publisher.  The photos are great for adding additional description of the topic being discussed.  The kids really loved looking at the ‘real-life’ pictures of bears and other animals.  There is a little negative space, because the layout of text to image is somewhat formal in nature.  The images are above, below, or beside the text. 

          This book is appropriate for any age elementary age children.  It is specifically written for ages 5-7.  It employs a good bit of rhyming and repetition of word patterns.  It would be good for a lesson on rhyming.   Or it could be used as an introduction to bears.  It would also work as good introduction to a lesson on hibernation.  This book is exciting for children, especially boys, so it would be a good motivator to read.  This book doesn’t have any awards at this time.