Book Review: Very Hairy Bear

Very Hairy Bear.by Alice Schertle. Illus. by Matt Phelan.2007. Harcourt,Inc., $16 (9780152165680)

Format: Hardcover
Age Group:PreS-K

Genre:Fiction
Awards:None listed.

Subjects/Themes: Bears, Seasons

ELS promoted: 
Print motivation, phonological awareness

Annotation: 

A very hair bear experiences the four seasons in his wooded home.
 

Reactions/Observations:

Schertle writes a rhyming tale about a “very hairy bear and his no-hair nose”. The bear strolls through the pages with his “no-hair nose” leading him and the audience through the seasons. He dives into water for salmon, digs deep into a beehive for honey, gobbles up blueberries, and finds his way into his den for the winter. 
 

The story has a rhythm created by Schertle’s use of language, which serves as a great literacy tool to promote phonological awareness with early readers. She uses alliteration and rhyme to carry the narrative, but unfortunately the flow is interrupted by parts that don’t rhyme as well as others. Some portions seem forced like “…when soft white snowflakes start to fall and cling to bear hair…(if there’s a bear there)”. Fortunately the illustrations are so charming, it’s easy to ignore the clumsy parts of narration.  Children will still appreciate the rhyming text and the rhythm it creates. Phelan’s use of pastel and pencil are delightful. The scenery communicates the bear's loveable expressions and the change in seasons well.