Bears on chairs, by Shirley ParenteauFrom Bogey Bear
Want to have a fun dialog with baby bears or children?  This is the perfect book!  Who can't relate to finding a comfortable place to sit and then finding one for our friends or a big brown bear!  I don't know what I like more, the pictures or the story - you and your young readers will have lots of fun things to talk about as you enjoy this book together.  Its all about sharing and loving it.

About the Book
Four chairs. Four adorable bears. All is well until Big Brown Bear shows up — what a stare! — and wants a seat. Can these clever bears put their heads together (among other things) and make space for one more? With endearing, expressive illustrations and a sustained rhyme in every line, here is a cozy tale that makes it clear there is room for all.

From School Library Journal
 PreSchool-K—This picture book begins with four small bears on four little chairs. No one has to share until Big Brown Bear arrives. They experiment with various seating arrangements and discover that there is room for everyone when the chairs are all placed next to one another, in a row. Parenteau's brief rhythmic text is bouncy and light, and ideal for reading aloud. Themes of sharing and compassion are introduced in developmentally appropriate, subtle ways, and the bears' discovery of their own resolution is a refreshing conclusion to the story. Walker's acrylic illustrations match the airy lyricism and mood of the text. The charming, wee creatures appear to be playful, kind teddy bears. The pastel hues of the paintings are set against creamy white pages, and the white space allows readers to focus on the actions and rhythms of the story. Include this book in traditional teddy bear programs to add subtle messages about sharing and kindness Shawn Brommer, South Central Library System, Madison, WI

From Booklist
Four round little bears. Four straight-back chairs. That works—until Big Brown Bear enters the scene looking for someplace to sit down. Using plenty of repetition and the simplest of rhyming couplets (“What a stare / from Big Brown Bear. / That big bear / wants a chair!”), the text follows the travails of Brown Bear as he tries to find a place to sit down. Along with the visual treat of watching softly colored bears and chairs on expanses of white pages, this book cleverly melds words and art for several other purposes. New readers will find this an inviting place to start picking out words, while budding logicians can sharpen their skills trying to figure out how five bears can sit in four chairs. The bears do it (after some trial and error), and the happy ending is the perfect finish to a sweet exercise. Preschool-Kindergarten. Ilene Cooper

About the Author
Shirley Parenteau has written a number of books for children, including ONE FROG SANG. She lives in Elk Grove, California.  To learn more about her and her book, visit her website.

About the Illustrator
David Walker has illustrated several children’s books, including DOMINO by Claire Masurel and FLIP, FLAP, FLY! by Phyllis Root. He lives in Chapel Hill, North Carolina.

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