Little Tiger Where There S Bear There S Trouble

One brown bear saw one yellow bee. And one yellow bee saw one brown bear. One brown bear thought I'll follow this bee because he'll lead me to honey. And so the chase begins - and there's more trouble than even one yellow bee would expect! Editorial Reviews From School Library Journal PreSchool-K-This bright, bouncy picture book doesn't quite live up to its potential, but may still be a popular addition to larger collections. A big brown bear follows a buzzing bee in hopes of finding honey. Two geese tag along in search of berries, and they are followed by three mice looking for corn. Few listeners will be surprised when the tale turns around abruptly-the catalyst is a swarm of bees-and the animals end up in a heap. In addition to the predictability of the plot, an occasional awkwardness in Catchpool's choice of words weakens the book (is honey really gummy?). However, the author uses repetitive phrases, similar sentence structures, and ever-popular animal noises to good advantage. Cabban's illustrations, somewhat reminiscent of those by Martin Waddell, contribute significantly to the book's appeal. The brown bear looks warm, fuzzy, and friendly; the white geese are awkwardly endearing; and the pink-nosed mice are downright adorable. The simple pastoral background has blue skies, abundant sunshine, and bright flowers. True to the book's cozy charm, the final collision doesn't seem to cause much harm. Young listeners might not find this simple adventure especially exciting, but those in search of cheerful stories with an old-fashioned feel will enjoy it. Lisa Dennis, The Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh, PA Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition. From Booklist PreS-Gr. 2. Upon awakening, a brown bear spots a bee buzzing around and thinks, "Where there's a bee, there's honey . . . sticky honey, yummy honey, drippy honey, gummy honey. I'll follow this bee as quietly as can be." Thus begins a woodland romp in which the bear is followed by two greedy geese ("Where there's a bear, there are berries") and three field mice ("Where there are geese, there's corn"). When the animals end up at a beehive, 100 ornery bees buzz out and chase them around until there's a massive collision. As the title predicts, where there's a bear, there's sure to be trouble. The buzz, growl, and honk that appear repeatedly as the story builds encourage children to chant along. The opportunities for participation coupled with appealing watercolor illustrations make this a natural for preschool story hours. Helen Rosenberg Copyright å© American Library Association. All rights reserved --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.