Bear's Big Dreaming

by Michael Rosen (Author) Daniel Egnéus (Illustrator)

Reading Level: 2nd − 3rd Grade

The Cold is coming, and it's time for Big Bear and Little Bear to get ready for the Big Sleep: for bears sleep all winter long, and wake up in the spring. But Little Bear is worried.

What if they run out of dreams during the Big Sleep? Little Bear sets out bravely to find enough dreams to see them through the long winter. On his journey, he discovers dreams of happiness, dreams of homecoming, and dreams of hope.

But with the Cold approaching fast, will Little Bear make it back home in time for the Big Dreaming?

A resonant and uplifting tale from a master storyteller, The Big Dreaming is a classic in the making, filled with luminous illustrations by award-winning artist Daniel Egnéus.

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Hardcover
$18.99

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Kirkus

Be ready to share a dream with the little one who asks you to read this.

ALA/Booklist

Starred Review
Rosen's words and Egnéus' lovely pictures combine to create a soothing tale that will be welcomed in autumn or at bedtime in any season of the year.

School Library Journal

Little Bear is worried he will run out of material during the Big Dreaming of hibernation, so he sets out to gather spare dreams from the other animals in the forest. Squirrel tells a Happiness Right Now dream, Rabbit tells the dream of Coming Home Safe, and Wolf tells a dream of Always Having Hope. When Little Bear realizes he is lost in the forest and it's starting to snow, he remembers the three dreams given to him by his forest friends. He finds his way home just in time. Youngest readers will find this sweet bedtime story cozy and comforting, even if parents find it somewhat predictable. A poetic refrain makes this an appealing read-aloud. Egnéus's loose watercolors and use of contrasting dark and light values for the backgrounds are gorgeous and will make readers feel as if they are in a forest. VERDICT A solid purchase for any preschool collection.—Hillary Perelyubskiy

Copyright 2023 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

Review quotes

"Luminously beautiful." —The Guardian on BE WILD, LITTLE ONE, illustrated by Daniel Egnéus

"* Extraordinary in writing and illustration." —The Horn Book, starred review, on FOX, illustrated by Daniel Egneus

"* A deeply fulfilling look at the ups and downs of natural selection." —Shelf Awareness, starred review, on MOTH, illustrated by Daniel Egneus

Michael Rosen
Michael Rosen is one of the most popular contemporary poets and authors of books for children. He received the Eleanor Farjeon Award for services to children's literature in 1997 and served as Children's Laureate in the UK between 2007 and 2009. His books include the worldwide bestseller We're Going on a Bear Hunt and the award-winning Michael Rosen's Sad Book as well as What's So Special About Shakespeare?, What's So Special About Dickens?, and What Is Poetry? He lives in London.
Classification
Fiction
ISBN-13
9781547613304
Lexile Measure
-
Guided Reading Level
-
Publisher
Bloomsbury Publishing PLC
Publication date
October 31, 2023
Series
-
BISAC categories
JUV002030 - Juvenile Fiction | Animals | Bears
JUV010000 - Juvenile Fiction | Bedtime & Dreams
Library of Congress categories
Bears
Animals
Picture books
Hibernation
Dreams

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