We're Going On a Bear Hunt

“We’re Going on a Bear Hunt” by Michael Rose and illustrated by Helen Oxenbury is a delightful, action-packed, humorous book that is perfect for the 3 year old and up crowd.


The Story:

A father, 4 children (ages toddler to teenager), and the family dog fearlessly head out on an adventure to find a bear. Along the way, they come across many obstacles such as a river, thick mud, a forest, a snowstorm, and finally a cave. The family does indeed find the bear, and the bear chases the family home, going through all the obstacles again. The story ends with the family hiding under the covers in bed while the bear trudges home.

It should be noted that a gun is not included in any of the pictures or in the text. The author in no way implies that the family is out to hurt the bear, but rather is out on an adventure to find one.


The Writing:

The book is based on an old, popular campfire chant. The author manages to keep the chant and provide a catchy tempo and beautiful rhythm.


“We’re going on a bear hunt,
We’re going to catch a big one
What a beautiful day.
We’re not scared!”

For each obstacle encountered, a repetitive text is used:

“We can’t go over it.
We can’t go under it.
Oh, no! We’ve got to go through it.”


The author also provides perfect sound effects for the obstacles the family goes through:

River: “Swishy swashy”
Mud: “Squelch, squerch”
Forest: “Stumble, trip”
Snowstorm: “Hoooo, wooo”
Cave: “Tiptoe, tiptoe”


The Illustrations:

Helen Oxenbury does a beautiful job illustrating the story. There are color pictures done in watercolor, as well as black and white. One thing that I really like is that the pictures slowly get darker and darker as the family gets closer to the bear’s cave. Even though the illustrations are a bit simplistic, Oxenbury is superb at conveying the family’s emotions on the hunt, as well as showing action.


Our Experience:

Our four year old daughter LOVES this book! As a parent, I love it too and I enjoy reading it, even if it is for the millionth time. My daughter is a sensitive child, and I thought that she would be scared when the bear chases the family back to their home. However, she loves the humor in the story, as well as the suspense and drama. She enjoys “reading” along with me the repetitive verses. She also likes to act out the story and have Mommy or Daddy pretend to be the bear.


Things I Like:

Great action story
Humorous
Repetitive verses and style
Funny sound effects
A father is included in the story


Things I Don’t Like:

None


Final Thoughts:

As a former reading teacher, I would highly recommend adding this book to your child’s library. If you are buying this book, be aware that there are several versions out there, including a board book, a pop up version, and hardcover. I would recommend the large, hardcover version so the illustrations can be completely enjoyed.