The New Bear at School - Carrie Weston
Cuddly bear tale about fitting in at a new school.
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Read the book?
Book details
- Author:Carrie Weston
- # of pages: 32
- Publisher:Scholastic Inc.
- Original Publication Date: 07/01/2008
- Genre: Fiction - Picture Book
- Hardcover: $12.99
- Publisher's Recommended Reading Level: 4-8
- Read Aloud: 4
- Read Alone: 8
Parents need to know
Parents need to know that this sweet book has a good message and absolutely nothing offensive. Even the school bullies come in the form of rather cute swashbuckling rats.
Families can talk about what leads us to judge by appearances. Perhaps parents have a story of when they, too, judged a book by its cover only to learn that they nearly missed the opportunity to make a new friend.
Families can talk about what leads us to judge by appearances. Perhaps parents have a story of when they, too, judged a book by its cover only to learn that they nearly missed the opportunity to make a new friend.
Message
Social Behavior:
Classroom learns not to judge by appearances.
Consumerism:
Drugs/Alcohol/Tobacco:
Violence
School bullies are in the form of (rather cute) swashbuckling rats.
Sex
Language
Common Sense says
What's the story?
Reviewed by Dawn Friedman
Boris is a very big, very furry, very scary-looking grizzly bear and so he has a tough time making friends. Things are made worse when he makes several blunders on his first day of school -- breaking a chair, tearing a book, and accidentally scaring his classmates. Will they be able to see past his appearance to the lovable bear who lies underneath? When the school bullies arrive on the playground, Boris gets the opportunity to redeem himself in the eyes of his classmates.
Is it any good?
While this is a predictable book for parents who have likely read versions of this story many times before, kids will get a kick out of Boris' trials and will be surprised and pleased by the final outcome. Even the bullies are swashbuckling rats who add excitement without ever crossing the line to real worry. The pictures could undermine the idea that anyone could possibly be scared of Boris -- he's just adorable -- but he is convincingly big and the other animal classmates are dwarfed in comparison.
Other choices
Other books by the Author:
Moonlight Lily
Lucky Socks
If a Chicken Stayed for Supper
The Queen, the Mice and the Cheese
More Books about School Nerves:
Off to First Grade by Louise Borden
Happy School Year! by Susan Milord
Parents and kids say
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Which fantasy book creature has the best name?
Fluffy (3-headed dog, Harry Potter)
36%
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18%
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0%
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36%
11 votes