Product Description

What will you hear when you read this book to a preschool child? Lots of noise! Children will chant the rhythmic words. They'll make the sounds the animals make. And they'll pretend to be the zoo animals featured in the book-- look at the last page! Bill Martin Jr. and Eric Carle are two of the most respected names in children's education and children's illustrations. This collaboration, their first since the classic Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See? (published more than thirty years ago and still a best-seller) shows two masters at their best. A Redbook Children's Picture Book Award winner The rollicking companion to Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See?

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #314619 in Books
• Published on: 2001-08-21
• Original language: English
• Dimensions: 3.00 pounds
• Binding: Paperback
• 32 pages

From Publishers Weekly
It's been 25 years since these two talented men put their heads together, but the fruit of their latest collaboration is well worth the wait. Continuing in the spirit of Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See? , their new book incorporates the same clean design and crisp text, but this time the action takes place at the zoo, where elephants, hippos, lions and such are asked what they hear--each answer leads to the animal on the next page, and culminates with a zookeeper who "hears" a pageful of multiracial children disguised as their favorite animals. Carle's characteristically inventive, jewel-toned artwork forms a seamless succession of images that fairly leap off the pages, and educator Martin, ever tuned in to what children like best, has assembled a thoroughly rowdy menagerie--including a fluting flamingo, bellowing walrus and hissing boa constrictor, to name a few--imitations of whose sounds will doubtless soon be echoing in many homes and classrooms. A visually and aurally splashy work, this is a splendid successor to Brown Bear , one that no fan of that popular bruin will want to be without. Ages 2-4.
Copyright 1991 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From School Library Journal
PreSchool-Grade 1-- In a logical sensory follow-up to Martin's and Carle's wildly successful Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See? (Holt, 1983), this dynamic duo now offers sounds. The polar bear hears a lion roaring, who hears a hippopotamus snorting, who hears a flamingo fluting (!), who hears a zebra braying, and so on through a varied list of animals. At last the zookeeper announces that he hears children roaring, snorting, fluting, etc. While the format is very similar to the previous book, Carle's trademark collages have never been more beautiful. Huge animals fill the double-page spreads, glowing with light-filled colors, sans superflouous background. Teachers will smile with delight when they see this wonderful book, and students are sure to utter the familiar request, "Have you got another one like this one?" --Ruth Semrau, Lovejoy School, Allen, TX
Copyright 1991 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Kirkus Reviews
After a full generation, a companion to a perennial favorite (Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See?, 1967). In the interim, Carle's bold, colorful art has become a bit more sophisticated, though no more appealing. The pattern is similar: in response to a query modeled on the title, each animal now hears the next--the flamingo says, ``I hear a zebra braying in my ear,'' the zebra hears a boa constrictor hissing; and so on. At the end, a zookeeper hears a group of children, each imitating one of the animals. Attractive but not quite up to its predecessor: the text seems a little strained (especially some of the attributed voices--do peacocks yelp?), and the conclusion lacks the extra levels of meaning that made Brown Bear special. (Picture book. 2- 6) -- Copyright ©1991, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved.

Customer Reviews

My 18-month old daughter's favourite book!
My 18-month old daughter can't get enough of this book! I read Brown Bear, Polar Bear, and Panda Bear in a row, and she's fascinated. She likes turning the pages herself, and the text is simple enough that she can turn pages quickly! She also enjoys pointing out the ears, eyes, noses and mouths on each animal.

My son loves this book!
A few weeks ago, my 13 month old son came home from daycare with this note on his daily sheet "Today we read Polar Bear, Polar, What Do You Hear over and over again. Everytime I tried to read him another book, he would push it away and point to Polar Bear". Every day since this, his daily sheet has ended with "...and we read Polar Bear" My son has favorite books at home and since he enjoys this one so much, I wanted to add it to our collection. I also ordered the Brown Bear and Panda Bear books, hoping he will like them just as much.

Interactive
This is a fun interactive book about the animals in the zoo and the sounds they make. It's a great vocabulary builder, since it uses words that small kids may not hear every day. The book is quite enjoyable for kids who like animals, and not at all scary. The story may get kids wound up, however, so it might not be the best choice for a bedtime story. The book has about 200 words.