When it comes to children’s books about bears, there are certainly a lot to choose from. However, not all of the books are suitable for Pre-K classroom use. With that said, here’s a quick rundown on several that are:
“My Favorite Bear”
Andrea Gabriel’s “My Favorite Bear” is a good book to start off a lesson plan for one simple reason. It mentions a variety of bears. Among the creatures mentioned are pandas and polar bears. The book also sports attractive illustrations that are apt to keep the children’s attention. I’d suggest reading it in conjunction with Diane Swanson’s book “Welcome to the World of Bears.” It also covers various species of bears. However, unlike the other tome, it is full of facts that could actually be incorporated into a lesson.
“Do Bears Sleep All Winter”
Melvin Berger’s book “Do Bears Sleep All Winter” is another one that I’d recommend reading. What I like about Berger’s book is that it contains basic information about a bear’s behavior. Topics touched upon in the book include the animal’s diet and hibernation. Thus, it would pair nicely with Deborah Hodge’s book “Bears: Polar Bears, Black Bears and Grizzly Bears.” Like the book’s title indicates, the author focuses on providing facts about a trio of bears.
“Black Bear Cub”
If you want to teach your children about the relationship between a mother and her baby, I’d suggest reading Alan Lind’s book “Black Bear Cub.” It has attractive illustrations and just enough information to get the children talking about the topic. I would recommend utilizing in conjunction with Sharon Jennings book “Bearcub and Mama” and Anne Margaret Lewis’ tome “Tears of Mother Bear.”
“Polar Bears”
Jacqueline S. Cotton’s book “Polar Bears” is worthy of consideration as well. It will help to introduce the children to polar bears. I would suggest pairing it with Valerie Tracqui’s book “The Polar bear, Master of the Ice: Animal Close Ups” and Martha Elizabeth Hillman Rustard’s “A Baby Polar Bear Story.” Between the three stories, your children should end up with a solid overview of the animal’s life cycle and characteristics.
“Big Bear, Little Brother”
If you want to spur discussions about man’s relationship with the creatures, I’d suggest reading Carl Norac’s “Big Bear, Little Brother” and Natalie Kinsey-Warnock’s “The Bear That Heard Crying.” Both are exceptionally well written and touching. One focuses on a polar bear and the other focuses on a black bear.
“Don’t Wake Up the Bear!”
Last on my list is Marjorie Dennis Murray’s book “Don’t Wake Up the Bear!” It is a really cute story about a bear that’s busy hibernating. It would pair exceptionally well with Maureen Wright’s book “Sleep, Big Bear, Sleep!” and Denise Fleming’s “Time to Sleep.” They feature adorable storylines about hibernation too.
Source: Personal Experience
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