BEAR CAME ALONG written by Richard T. Morris and illustrated by LeUyen Pham is a Caldecott Honor Book celebrating a memorable picture book ride down the river with some playful woodland animals that want to connect led by an inquisitive brown bear.
If bear hadn’t climbed out on the limb to get a better look at the river the limb would not have broken and if it had not broken bear would not have begun a ride down the river where he would pick up one rider after another including froggy, turtles, beaver, racoons and a duck!
The illustrations are rendered in crystal clear watercolors that enable young readers to almost taste the fresh river water as the animals travel swiftly toward a big surprise. Three expansive double spread illustrations put the reader on the log with the animals as they all ride down the river, then look astonished at what they see and finally brace for a ride over a waterfall! To see them half scared of and half loving the plunge is to feel the excitement of a very special kind of fun. “Bear held onto Froggy! Froggy held on to Turtles! Turtles held on to Beaver! Beaver held on to Racoons! Racoons held on to Duck.” The next illustration is a fun-loving splash!
The endpapers track the river from the beginning of the adventure to the end where the animals relax, laugh and enjoy each other.
BEAR CAME ALONG written by Richard T. Morris and gorgeously illustrated by LeUyen Pham is a picture book adventure about “finding community” for children 4-7 years of age (Little, Brown and Company, 2019).
Creativity questions for Bear Came Along
What do you think the animals are thinking when they see the waterfall? Study the double spread illustration again and look at the expression on the face of the bear, the racoons and the beaver. If they could talk what do you think each one would say? Okay, now try to speak like the bear, one of the racoons and the beaver.
Have you ever faced something that was a little bit scary but when it was over you could laugh about it? Think back. Then draw a picture of your face before the “little bit scary” experience and a picture of your face after that experience. You may want to give each portrait a title.
The river is an important part of this story. Stand up and try out some river mimes. Be sure to use your hands, arms, legs and face when you move all about as the river in these different situations: Be the lazy river winding quietly through the forest. Be the swift river going faster and faster as it gets closer to the waterfall. Be the wild river as it becomes part of the waterfall. Have fun!
