The Bear in the Cave
by Michael Rosen

Release Date: 1st Oct 2007
Publisher: Bloomsbury
ISBN: 978 0 7475 7765 2
RRP: Ł10.99

Sometimes, I must confess to hankering after a little controversy and so I was almost determined not to like this children’s book by the Children’s Laureate, Michael Rosen. I tried not to smile at the large, bumbling bear staggering through the morning surf, I tried not to be impressed that the author himself had recorded the audio CD that was included, I tried not to grin idiotically at the lavishly colourful illustrations and most of all I tried my hardest to get irritated by the repetitions.

There is no real plot to speak of: Bear is alone, bear hears the call of the City and hops on a train and explores said City. Bear gets laughed at and starts to feel a bit sad, then some totally unrealistic children come and take him back to his home and they all end up snuggled in the bear’s cave. Somehow, this doesn’t register as a failing. And then I realise that actually the book is about colour and movement and sound and experiencing something new and exciting.
The repetition, I know, helps youngsters come to grips with reading.

The illustrations help further communicate what is going on in the story. The words tinkle and skip throughout the book with a kind of joyful abandon – the sounds are infectious – “heedily hee” and “thissety that”. You find you can’t help smiling and when you see everyone ends up in bed asleep, I imagine every parent in the country will quietly punch the air with joy. Parents love books like these.

So you see, I couldn’t help but love this book.

Your Reviews:

Click here to login or register and leave your very own review of The Bear in the Cave

Be the first to leave your own review of The Bear in the Cave!