At a family dinner a few summers ago, I asked my father and my husband what they wanted to drink. One responded, "Catsup, please," and the other responded, "Mustard." I could not help but respond with laughter. This type of "mishearing"" continue to this day. Three of my grandchildren having hearing difficulty and the others frequently have "listening" difficulties. Sleep, Big Bear, Sleep made me smile, but it also reminded me to be grateful for the gift of hearing. Although "mishearings" may be amusing in some situations, they can be frustrating (and embarrassing) for the person experiencing them. I enjoyed the book and so will my grandchildren. Maybe I will share it with my father and my husband as well!!! This is funny, but I would have enjoyed it more without the rhyming text. It doesn't really add to the story, and almost takes away from the funny bit of Big Bear misunderstanding Old Man Winter. Old Man Winter keeps saying, "Sleep, Big Bear, Sleep," but Big Bear hears things like "Drive a jeep, Big Bear, drive a jeep" and "Dive deep, Big Bear, dive deep." The illustrations are a lot of fun - especially the cute little rabbit that accompanies Big Bear everywhere throughout the story. This would work great in a lesson on animals in winter or hibernation.
What do You think about Sleep, Big Bear, Sleep! (2009)?
Fun pictures and a fun idea. Poor Bear keeps missing all the hints.
—ren
Great for Story time! I used it to discuss bears and hibernation.
—raebae
