Sayre, A. (2013) Eat Like A Bear. New York. Henry Holt and Company.Choice BookPicture Book2014 Notable Children's BookAssociation of Library Science for ChildrenIn Eat Like A Bear, the reader is guided through a bear's life as related to her food needs and the availabilty of foods in her environment given the month. Illustrations are bold and crisp with elements of texture added by the illustrator's use of torn and cut paper collage. The author uses repetition of select phrases throughout the story. Thus, young readers can anticipate familiar phrases and can choral read familiar text. Illustrations that almost feel like images have been zoomed in upon put the reader in the story and close to the main character, the brown bear. Use of occasional rhyme and short lines of text keep the pace and rhythm of the story alive. This is a beautiful picture book which might work well for an introduction to food chains. Eat like a Bear, illustrated by Steve Jenkins starts with a bear awakening in April and starting a search for food. The story continues to follow the bear on it's quest for food throughout the summer and fall repeating the phrase, "Dig in. Dig down. Paw and claw and pull. Find..." Although there is nothing gross or frightening in the story it might not be one for squeamish readers as bison bones with frozen meat are shown. And though the baby elk escapes a ground squirrel does not (capture is not shown). The story ends with cubs being born in winter.I liked the different starting point for a bear's year. And who knew exactly what a bear will eat other than fish. Now I can picture the various plants and insects as well.
Good information about a bear's habits throughout the year, the illustrations are stunning.
—wendy
Great conversation-starter, good read-aloud for ages 5+. Love the illustrations.
—Alison_44
Who knew there were so many words for the ways bears live?
—poop
Follows a bear through the year.
—joanne3198
Poetic.
—lol
