Archives

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars A Wonderful Book, November 18, 2004

"In a cave in the woods,
in his deep, dark lair,
through the long, cold winter
sleeps a great brown bear."

Thus begins the story of a very drowsy bear, set against the backdrop of blizzard-like conditions brewing about outside his cozy, warm nook. The bear in this tale does one thing, and one thing only -- he sleeps. Never mind that a fierce snowstorm is raging just a few feet away outside his lair. Nothing can awaken this bear while he's deep into hibernation.

"An itty-bitty mouse,
pitter-pat, tip-toe,
creep-crawls in the cave
from the fluff-cold snow."

Ah, but the great brown bear now has company. Although very small, the mouse deems the bear's sleeping quarters, "Too damp, too dank, too dark." So, because he's a most resourceful little mouse, he sets about lighting up his own tiny bonfire to warm himself from the bitter-frigid temperatures overtaking the woods. Despite the light from from the fire illuminating the cave with a golden glow, the bear snores on.

"Two gleaming eyes
sneak-peek in the den.
Mouse cries, 'Who's there?'
and a hare hops in."

As it turns out, the mouse and the hare are old friends. And it's been a long time since they've seen one another. So the mouse and the hare enjoy each other's company, popping white corn and brewing black tea. Yet, despite the mouse's wee slurps and the hare's big burps, the bear, incredibly, still snores on.

Children's Book Review reviewed: