Picture Book of the Month: We're Going on a Bear Hunt

August 2009
WE'RE GOING ON A BEAR HUNT
By Michael Rosen
Illustrated by Helen Oxenbury
Publisher: Walker Books, 40 pages

This is one of my favourite books for storytelling sessions. The repetition in every verse -  "We're going on a bear hunt, we're going to catch a big one! What a beautiful day - we're not scared!" and then "We can't go over it, we can't go under it, we've got to go through it!" - encourages children to join in, and it's even better if you put the book aside and act the whole thing out.

Of course, Oxenbury's pictures are always worth sharing too. At a conference in Australia, she pointed out that she added a postscript to the story by drawing the bear walking away, rather despondently, at the end of the book. Read what you will into that picture. I wonder if the bear really just wanted a chat and not to eat the children.

Comments

[Angelina Lau]

Hi.I actually came across this book when i brought my son (2yrs)to a playschool.This is the first story that had actually gauged his attention. All these time he cant even keep his focus on any specific story i read to him but THIS is a hit. Even today i will still catch him chanting the rythmic first line ..we're going on a bear hunt...Today at mph we came across its pop up book.It was a thrill to read the book again.And the star of the book is nonetheless the bear which my son cant wait to see at the end of the story.Definitely will bring an impact to tots and perhaps even appeal to adults, who still keep that childlike thread in them :)