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The Littlest Bear
Book by Shields, Gillian
- GenresPicture BooksChildrens
25 pages, Paperback
First published October 1, 2009
21 people want to read
About the author
Gillian Shields
61 books540 followersGillian Shields was born and brought up in Yorkshire, in the north of England. As she grew up, she had two passions:books and theater. Gillian’s love of books led her to read English at St. Catharine's College, Cambridge. After university she studied acting in London. She then taught in a drama school, the Academy of Live and Recorded Arts, for several years, becoming Vice Principal. She recently taught English and Drama at Beechwood Sacred Heart, a girls’ boarding school.
Having children gave Gillian an excuse to carry on reading children’s books, as well as a motivation to write them. She has a son and a daughter, and is married to Brian, who works for the New York Times Media Group.
Hobbies, Interests, and Enthusiasms
I am currently learning Italian (or trying to!) and have a secret fantasy about going to live on the beautiful island of Sicily one day, and having a little stone house with a lemon tree in the garden, and a view of the blue, blue sea! I am lucky, though, because I do live in a fantastic part of England, full of soft green fields and rolling hills and cottages that date back four hundred years.
I like to go for long walks and see the changes that the seasons bring, and I try to imagine how it all must have been years and years ago, and how the people lived. I was brought up in the north of England which is much more rugged and wild—the backdrop to Immortal.
I also enjoy being in the city—although I wouldn't want to live there all the time, it's fun to go window shopping or to big new exhibitions or shows, or just hang out in a coffee shop with a cappuccino and a notebook and watch the busy world go by.
Something I enjoy is painting. I have taken quite a few art classes and find it very creative to work with paint and charcoal and images instead of words, though somehow I can't help adding bits of poetry and scraps of words into my paintings, too… When I was at school, I was completely obsessed by the Pre-Raphaelites, and I love the way their art is so intertwined with poetry and stories. My best friend is an artist and she is incredibly inspiring to me.
I hate cooking but love the idea of being a good cook and welcoming all my friends and family to delicious meals. So I have lots of beautiful cookery books but I never get past the first couple of recipes. Every so often I get madly enthusiastic all over again, but it doesn't last.
When I am writing, I can't listen to music—I find it too distracting, but I love to listen to the radio when I am driving. I listen to pop music in the morning and classical music in the afternoon. That just seems right somehow. My son is really into music, so I enjoy sharing his enthusiasms. At the moment we are listening to Eminem, Akon, NDubz, Chipmunk, Kanye West, plus Greenday, Michael Jackson…the list goes on. My current absolute favorite is Paolo Nutini.
Another interest I have is this amazing charity called The Smile Train which carries out operations for disadvantaged children born with harelip/cleft palate. Sometimes I feel I don't realize how lucky I am, and so it's good to try and do something to help a child on the other side of the world who isn't so lucky. My family also tries to support Sightsavers International, who do simple cataract operations to restore the sight of hundreds of people in the developing world.
On a more self-indulgent note, I love to get to the theater whenever I can, and to the ballet, which I adore. In another fantasy life I would definitely be a ballerina!
I can't imagine getting through a day without reading or writing. I know it sounds a complete cliche, but there it is. I go to a writers' workshop once a week to meet other writers and exchange ideas and read work in progress, and that is hugely important to me. And every spare minute of the time at home I am reading, reading, reading…What would we do without stories?
Education
St Catharine's College, Cambridge University (MA in Englis
Having children gave Gillian an excuse to carry on reading children’s books, as well as a motivation to write them. She has a son and a daughter, and is married to Brian, who works for the New York Times Media Group.
Hobbies, Interests, and Enthusiasms
I am currently learning Italian (or trying to!) and have a secret fantasy about going to live on the beautiful island of Sicily one day, and having a little stone house with a lemon tree in the garden, and a view of the blue, blue sea! I am lucky, though, because I do live in a fantastic part of England, full of soft green fields and rolling hills and cottages that date back four hundred years.
I like to go for long walks and see the changes that the seasons bring, and I try to imagine how it all must have been years and years ago, and how the people lived. I was brought up in the north of England which is much more rugged and wild—the backdrop to Immortal.
I also enjoy being in the city—although I wouldn't want to live there all the time, it's fun to go window shopping or to big new exhibitions or shows, or just hang out in a coffee shop with a cappuccino and a notebook and watch the busy world go by.
Something I enjoy is painting. I have taken quite a few art classes and find it very creative to work with paint and charcoal and images instead of words, though somehow I can't help adding bits of poetry and scraps of words into my paintings, too… When I was at school, I was completely obsessed by the Pre-Raphaelites, and I love the way their art is so intertwined with poetry and stories. My best friend is an artist and she is incredibly inspiring to me.
I hate cooking but love the idea of being a good cook and welcoming all my friends and family to delicious meals. So I have lots of beautiful cookery books but I never get past the first couple of recipes. Every so often I get madly enthusiastic all over again, but it doesn't last.
When I am writing, I can't listen to music—I find it too distracting, but I love to listen to the radio when I am driving. I listen to pop music in the morning and classical music in the afternoon. That just seems right somehow. My son is really into music, so I enjoy sharing his enthusiasms. At the moment we are listening to Eminem, Akon, NDubz, Chipmunk, Kanye West, plus Greenday, Michael Jackson…the list goes on. My current absolute favorite is Paolo Nutini.
Another interest I have is this amazing charity called The Smile Train which carries out operations for disadvantaged children born with harelip/cleft palate. Sometimes I feel I don't realize how lucky I am, and so it's good to try and do something to help a child on the other side of the world who isn't so lucky. My family also tries to support Sightsavers International, who do simple cataract operations to restore the sight of hundreds of people in the developing world.
On a more self-indulgent note, I love to get to the theater whenever I can, and to the ballet, which I adore. In another fantasy life I would definitely be a ballerina!
I can't imagine getting through a day without reading or writing. I know it sounds a complete cliche, but there it is. I go to a writers' workshop once a week to meet other writers and exchange ideas and read work in progress, and that is hugely important to me. And every spare minute of the time at home I am reading, reading, reading…What would we do without stories?
Education
St Catharine's College, Cambridge University (MA in Englis
Ratings & Reviews
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Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
March 20, 2020
Hieno sinivalkoinen kirja, jossa pieni valkoinen jääkarhu ystävystyy pienen valkoisen sudenpennun kanssa.
February 24, 2018
Beautifully-illustrated book about exploration and the dangers of judging someone by their reputation. Artwork to sigh over and a lovely message about friendship and understanding. I will be adding this to my 'Advent' box to read in the lead-up to Christmas.
December 17, 2023
Cet album est de toute beauté. Les illustrations sont absolument adorables, la morale est d’autant plus magnifique. Il est question ici d’idées reçues que l’on transmet aux enfants, qui lorsqu’ils découvrent le monde eux-mêmes, réalisent que parfois ce qu’ils ont appris n’est pas tout à fait vrai. De cet aventure naît une amitié entre un petit ours polaire et un petit loup, qui surmontent leur peur l’un de l’autre.
January 1, 2014
Beautifully illustrated, The Littlest Bear is wonderful for small children. But it also has a message about not judging before you know someone. I like the clean pages - illustrated nicely, but not cluttered.
March 23, 2018
Ihanasti kuvitettu tarina ennakkoluuloista, peloista, yksinäisyydestä ja ystävän löytämisestä!
Äiti jääkarhu varoittelee jatkuvasti pienen pientä jääkarhua menemästä liian kauaksi, ettei vaarallinen valkoinen susi syö pienen pientä jääkarhua. Pienen pieni jääkarhu seikkailee eräänä yönä liian kauaksi ja törmää tähän vaaralliseen valkoiseen suteen. Vaan valkoinen susi osoittautuukin pelkäävän hurjaa valkoista jääkarhua, joka on siis pienen pieni jääkarhu! Ennakkoluulot ja pelot pois heitettyään eläimet löytävät jotain kultaakin kallimpaa; ystävän yksinäisyytensä lopuksi.
Äiti jääkarhu varoittelee jatkuvasti pienen pientä jääkarhua menemästä liian kauaksi, ettei vaarallinen valkoinen susi syö pienen pientä jääkarhua. Pienen pieni jääkarhu seikkailee eräänä yönä liian kauaksi ja törmää tähän vaaralliseen valkoiseen suteen. Vaan valkoinen susi osoittautuukin pelkäävän hurjaa valkoista jääkarhua, joka on siis pienen pieni jääkarhu! Ennakkoluulot ja pelot pois heitettyään eläimet löytävät jotain kultaakin kallimpaa; ystävän yksinäisyytensä lopuksi.
June 21, 2017
There could not be a more important message than the one this book provides for young children, especially in our current climate. Tolerance and understanding and finally acceptance of those who are considered 'different' is the most valuable thing to teach our younger generation right now.
Thank you for this gem of a book, Gillian Shields!
Thank you for this gem of a book, Gillian Shields!
March 16, 2018
Emo kertoo pienen pienelle jääkarhulle, että sudet ovat vaarallisia ja niitä tulee varoa, vaan mahtaako niin lopulta olla? Sympaattinen kirja erilaisista ystävistä toimi mukavasti satutunnilla ääneen luettuna.
August 19, 2022
This was honestly just so cute with a very wonderful message to give young kids. Don’t judge someone before you get to know them.
The art was so beautiful, too. I could have stared at the pictures forever.
The art was so beautiful, too. I could have stared at the pictures forever.
April 29, 2017
A beautiful book with gorgeous drawings and a lovely message about not judging people
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews