A Bedtime for Bear

From A Bedtime for Bear by Bonny Becker, illustrated by Kady MacDonald Denton (Walker Books 2010) | Illustration © 2010 by Kady Macdonald Denton | Used by permission of the publisher

A Bedtime for Bear by Bonny Becker, illustrated by Kady MacDonald Denton(Walker Books, 2010)Good to Read for:the hilarious double act, Bear and Mousefeeling cosyreading aloudEvery now and then, a timeless comedy double act is born. Examples from the world of kids’ books include Elephant and Piggie (Mo Willems), Charlie and Lola (Lauren Child) and Pooh and Piglet (A.A. Milne). 

Then there’s Bear and Mouse by Bonny Becker, illustrated by Kady MacDonald Denton. ‘For children…trying to navigate the world of friendships, or facing new experiences, Bear and Mouse are the perfect companions’, wrote School Library Journal. Their complicated relationship unfolds in a series of picture books, including today’s recommendation, A Bedtime for Bear  (Walker Books 2010).

Bear and Mouse are a hilarious pairing, thanks to the quality of the characters’ pithy dialogue and exaggerated poses. MacDonald Denton’s depictions of Bear are brilliant! Her visual description of his roller coaster of emotions (including annoyance, frustration, anger, exhaustion, and fear) leaves kids in no doubt about how he’s feeling. It’s one of those magic picture books where words and pictures work seamlessly together, complimenting the other to each tell their part in the story. 

In classic picture book tradition, the story begins one evening in Bear’s cosy home. He’s sat reading in an armchair in front of the fire when he’s rudely interrupted by ‘a tap, tap, tapping on his front door.’ Bear’s expression says it all!

 

From A Bedtime for Bear by Bonny Becker, illustrated by Kady MacDonald Denton (Walker Books 2010) | Illustration © 2010 by Kady Macdonald Denton | Used by permission of the publisher

 

When he opened the door, there stood Mouse, small and grey and bright-eyed. He clasped a tiny suitcase in his paw.

“I am here to spend the night!” exclaimed Mouse with a happy wiggle of his whiskers.

 

The friends enjoy ‘an evening playing draughts and drinking warm cocoa’ in front of the fire until it is time for bed.

 

“Remember, I must have absolute quiet,” said Bear.

“Oh, indeed,” said Mouse.

 

As with most comedy pairings, the friction created by the characters’ opposing personalities (further enhanced by the vast size difference between the two) brings the conflict and – for the reader, at least – the humour. 

Becker herself describes the long-suffering Bear as fastidious and grumpy. He is a curmudgeonly character with an ‘impressive vocabulary’. He’s a far cry from, for example, Barbara Firth’s plodding and loving Big Bear (who, in contrast, lacks personality). Instead, this Bear is impatient and freely vents, allowing for wonderfully expressive banter and theatrical poses. Yet he’s never threatening and always coming across as ‘gruff-but-loveable’. 

Poor Bear is rigid and particular – and it’s made clear from the very opening page: ‘Everything had to be just so for Bear’s bedtime. … [And] most of all, it had to be quiet – very, very quiet.’ I guess he’s like an ursine Oliver Hardy. You might say he’s controlling. At any rate, Bear is stuffy and needs to lighten up. It’s a good job he has the self-assured Mouse to mix things up a little…

Reviews describe the diminutive Mouse as ‘ever-ebullient’ and ‘irrepressible’. He is simply NOT quiet (as readers of the other Bear and Mouse books will testify)!

Mouse brushes his teeth loudly. (‘“Most sorry,” said Mouse.’)

He hums while putting on his nightshirt. And when Mouse hops into bed (in Bear’s bedside drawer!), the creak, squeak, rattle causes poor Bear to jam his pillow over his ears, grit his teeth, and close his eyes.

 

“Goodnight, Bear,” Mouse called softly.

Bear tried to pretend he was asleep.

“Goodnight,” Mouse called a little louder.

“My ears are highly sensitive,” cried Bear.

“How interesting,” Mouse said.

 

This is too much for Mouse’s curious mind to resist. And he proceeds to test Bear’s hearing – and patience – to its limit!

 

Finally, Bear snaps.

 

“Will this torment never cease?” wailed Bear.

“Sorry, Bear. Goodnight, Bear,” whispered Mouse, tiptoeing back to bed as quiet as a …well, you know.

 

I LOVE it!

Kids will relate to this story’s events. As with all sleep-overs, the chatterbox eventually falls asleep. And as with many other sleepovers, someone is left awake and alone. This time, it’s Bear. That’s right – big ol’ Bear starts to feel scared! Seeing the tables turned on the big, parental character delights – and empowers – kids!

 

From A Bedtime for Bear by Bonny Becker, illustrated by Kady MacDonald Denton (Walker Books 2010) | Illustration © 2010 by Kady Macdonald Denton | Used by permission of the publisher

 

Bear heard a crick, crick, crick on the floorboards.

“I know it’s you [, Mouse].”

No answer.

“You can’t fool me,” Bear growled, but he didn’t sound very certain.

…

Bear was sure something was rustling on the floor.

“MOUSE!” he cried. ‘Wake up!”

Mouse stumbled out of bed, small and grey and sleepy-eyed.

“What is it?”

 

(I’ll tell you what the illustration is: a Stan Laurel moment, encapsulated in a teeny-tiny mouse!)

 

From A Bedtime for Bear by Bonny Becker, illustrated by Kady MacDonald Denton (Walker Books 2010) | Illustration © 2010 by Kady Macdonald Denton | Used by permission of the publisher

 

Bear feels foolish and tries to save face by claiming to have been sleep-talking. Mouse sees through Bear’s bravado. But rather than call him out on it, he checks around the room (“for … things, you know”). What a kind friend Mouse is!

Of course, everything in Bear’s bedroom is as it should be. And just as Mouse is heading back to bed, Bear shouts:

 

“Wait!” … You’ll want a bedtime story, I expect. For your nerves.”

 

Bear is rigid and set in his ways.

But Mouse is adaptable.

He’s happy to play along with his friend’s framing of the situation and settles down to ‘the adventures of the Brave Strong Bear and the Very Frightened Little Mouse’! By the end of the book, Mouse is the one still awake – listening to Bear’s LOUD snoring! Mouse just smiles…and falls asleep wearing ear defenders! 

At face value, A Bedtime for Bear is a funny story about two friends. But behind the humour lurks an often unspoken reality: friendships are complicated.

Learning this at an early age benefits everyone. As one reviewer comments on GoodReads, ‘compromising and sharing spaces can be hard. Adjusting to new ways of doing things is hard. Sometimes we just need a friend to help us get through the change.’

 

As we read about the minds, experiences, and feelings of another, we feel with them. This increases our ability to understand others’ minds and internal experiences so that we can better empathize with them. The more children practice this skill, the more their brains get wired with this capacity.

–  How Reading with Your Children Can Help Them Develop a ‘Yes Brain’

 

While many picture books skirt around the potential pitfalls of friendship, Bear and Mouse (like Elephant and Piggie) throw kids in at the deep end. They model flawed relationships that require navigating with precision and care. By sharing such examples, you’re strengthening your child’s empathy muscle and providing them with a crucial life skill. 

Not only that – you’ll have a good laugh along the way!

 STORIES WORTH SHARINGA Bedtime for Bear by Bonny Becker, illustrated by Kady MacDonald DentonGood to Read for:the hilarious double act, Bear and Mousefeeling cosyreading aloudGOOD TO READ

Other picture book double acts that make me laugh

The Charlie and Lola books by Lauren Child (Orchard Books)

The Rabbit & Bear books by Julian Gough & Jim Field

The Bear and Mouse books by Bonny Becker, ill. by Kady Macdonald Denton (Walker Books)

Chalk & Cheese by Tim Warnes (Simon & Schuster 2008)

The Elephant & Piggie books by Mo Willems

 For older readers

Skunk and Badger by Amy Timberlake & Jon Klassen

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From A Bedtime for Bear by Bonny Becker, illustrated by Kady MacDonald Denton (Walker Books 2010) | Illustration © 2010 by Kady Macdonald Denton | Used by permission of the publisher

 “Few duos are as dependably fresh and amusing as Mouse and Bear.” —Booklist“My daughter and I have all of the books and find ourselves laughing out loud every time we read.”– Vanessa,  GoodReads Buy US* I EARN COMMISSION FROM THIS LINK #AD/AFFRELATED ARTICLESSOURCESA Bedtime for Bear by Bonny Becker, illustrated by Kady MacDonald Denton (Walker Books 2010) Crystal Kite Winner Interview Week 3: Bonny Becker, A Bedtime for Bear (SCBWI: The Blog, 2 June 2011) Interview with Bonny Becker (Book Buddies, 10 March 2009) Seven Questions Over Breakfast with Kady MacDonald Denton (7 Impossible Things Before Breakfast, 5 July 2011) A Library Book for Bear (Kirkus Reviews) A Bedtime for Bear (Good Reads) How Reading with Your Children Can Help Them Develop a ‘Yes Brain’  (Daniel J. Siegel, M.D., & Tina Payne Bryson, Ph.D.)© 2021 BY TIM WARNES(UNLESS OTHERWISE ATTRIBUTED)****USE OF THIRD PARTY COPYRIGHTED MATERIAL FALLS UNDER FAIR USE/FAIR DEALING PRACTICE