Greatpilgrim's Full Review: Michael Rosen - We're Going on a Bear Hunt: A Cele...
When I pulled out my latest children’s book discovery and showed it to my almost-three-year-old niece for the first time, you could just see her eyes light up. This is a little girl who LOVES books, but this book – now, this one is special.
We’re Going on a Bear Hunt: A Celebratory Pop-Up Edition was originally a picture book retold by Michael Rosen and illustrated by Helen Oxenbury. As you can imagine, it’s based on the traditional children’s chanting game where a family decides to go big-game hunting…
~We’re not scared…~
A family of five – a mother and father with their young son and daughter and baby (and dog) – begin a merry journey through all kinds of scenery and weather in hopes of catching a bear, but they keep finding that they
can’t go over it
We can’t go under it
Oh, No!
We’ve got to go through it!
Over the course of this 30 page tale, the brave explorers encounter long wavy grass, a deep cold river, thick oozy mud, a big dark forest, a swirling whirling snowstorm, a narrow gloomy cave, and of course – their long-sought quarry! Thus ensues a rapid scramble to backtrack all the way to their house, hotly pursued by the unsociable bear.
We’re Going on a Bear Hunt has some kind of magic in its very conception that is utterly entrancing to multiple generations and ages of children. The rhythmic pulse of the meter alluringly invites you to march your feet or drum your legs in time to the words – and of course, later you can go on your own “bear hunt.” Although I was a little annoyed by the recurring disruption of the meter with the disjointed “What a beautiful day! We’re not scared,” it’s totally redeemed by the infectious flow of the other lines and the onomatopoeia of the actions: stumble trip stumble trip, squelch squerch! squelch squerch!, hooooo wooooo! hooooo wooooo!.
The fun, of course, is in the journey and anticipation of actually finding the bear, who remains unseen until the climax of the story. After a hypnotic trek through the colorful terrain of the hunt, you turn the page to discover a break in the regular pattern of the verses: a dark cave with the ominous words Tiptoe! Tiptoe! Tiptoe! WHAT’S THAT? When we reach this page spread, my niece always turns to me, her eyes wide, and asks, “What is it?? What is it??”
From there, the acceleration and thrill of pursuit is terribly exciting – I even get caught up in the reversed chase! It’s like the slow climb of a roller coaster up to the peak of a steep drop, whereupon your stomach drops as you plunge to the bottom at a breathtaking acceleration.
The Celebratory Pop-Up Edition is even more effective at dynamic storytelling through its gorgeous mix of black-and-white flat pages alternating with brilliant colored pop-up pages with tabs for interactive play. Simple pencil-drawn illustrations create a serene, sunny, joyous atmosphere with soft friendly charcoal strokes, while the large explosive pop-ups are a combination of pastel crayon-like colors and splashes of watercolors.
My niece and I love the tractable tabs that allow you to move the characters in the action that’s being described in the text. Most of the pop-ups offer two tabs so that each of us can play with one (a great idea for a toddler who ALWAYS wants to be involved!). My breath was taken away more than once by the book’s multi-dimensional architecture, like the forest with three or four layers of trees for the kids to run through, and the aesthetic beauty of scenes like the snowglobe-esque planisphere wheel.
But little impatient fingers may need the watchful guidance of older readers to manipulate the delicate and at times fickle tabs. The cardboard pages are thick and substantial, but the actual pop-ups are easily crushed or abused, while the tabs can get stuck or ripped. Thankfully that hasn’t happened yet with our copy – I’m quick to help Ella when the tabs get off-course – so I would recommend that this book be introduced to children who have developed a respect for books and mobility that allows them to be gentle.
~Bottom line~
This exquisite pop-up version of We’re Going on a Bear Hunt is worth acquiring for your own personal library if you have a child who loves engaging, interactive stories that are as wonderful to look at as they are to read aloud. Don’t get scared off by the $30 pricetag; you can find this on sale for as low as $10 online brand-new! Many children’s books are sufficient to borrow from the library. This one isn’t. Get it!
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