Something About a Bear Hardcover – September 23, 2014

I have photographed all types of bears for years and this is a wonderful table top book to have with the most beautiful photos of all different bears with stories to go with them. This is also a book for any age probably over 8 to beyond.

Wonderful book with exceptional artwork.

If it was up to me, every child in the world would have at least one Jackie Morris book. Her vivid watercolours are gloriously rendered, full of life and energy and accurate details. She's already produced a number of animal-themed picture books, including  The Snow Leopard  and  I Am Cat , and this is another strong addition to the collection."Something About a Bear" is a compilation of bears around the world (ranging from Asia to North America to the Arctic), including the Brown, Black, Panda, Polar, Sun, Moon, Sloth, and Spectacled Bear - plus a fun surprise on the final page.Each page features a two-page illustration of the bears in question, which make excellent use of perspective and space. For example, the Brown Bear illustration depicts salmon under the surface of the water at the bottom of the page, the bear in the foreground beside a waterfall, and a pack of wolves in the distance over the other side of the river.Morris's paintings always feel spacious and realistic, though there's a dream-like quality to the animals - giving them a certain amount of expression without making them completely anthropomorphic.The prose is sparse, touching on each bear's habitat and behavior, and the occasional detail concerning the cultural mythology equated with them (for example, we are told that the Black bear comes in many different shades: "black and cinnamon and honey, white Black Bears are rarest, sacred spirits of the forest").The final two pages are filled with more in-depth profiles for each bear and websites you can visit for more information. Between this and the array of illustrations, children with an interest in animals will have a lot to keep them occupied.

Best suited for a school unit on bears or any child who is wild over the animals. As a bedtime story, it's nto going to work, and it was obviously never intended as such.I'd advise adult readers to read the blurbs on each bear in the back, as they explain some bits of each bear's page which really aren't gone into, such as the comment that polar bears have black skin. You'll probably have to pause on each page to tell your listeners a bit more about each bear, so set aside some extra time for this book.The artwork is great, with each image showing a grown bear, its environment, and some cubs. It's all very lifelike, and, in my opinion, better than if they'd used photographs. This way, the pictures show the bears in good focus without anything in the way.Libraries seem to be picking this up a lot, so that's good. Homes need to judge based on your child's reaction, but, again, bear lovers are going to demand this.

it was lovely to get this book and even if it took longer than expected to arrive I have enjoyed another book of beautiful illustrations by the talented Jackie Morris. The kind of book to treasure and hand down to future generations

Bought for my granddaughter, who collects Jackie Morris books and posters. Beautiful book.

This is a stunning book, both the illustrations and lyrical text. A favourite in our house.

Very beautiful book with many many beautiful pictures! Just like I wanted. Thank you!

Great idea and real strength in illustrations. Went down well with young son of a zoo vet.