Prince Bear

by Helme Heine

Long, long ago – when fairy tales were young – every bear could change into a prince, and every princess could change into a bear. To be transformed, a bear had only to kiss a princess. At once, he changed and could go to the castle and live a carefree life. If a princess was bored with always being good and polite, she could kiss the first bear she found in the forest, turn into a bear, swim and fish and eat honey. Life was simple and happy.

But then, men began to cut down the forests, to build highways, and to make laws about hunting and fishing. The happy balance of life was upset – with sad results.

The joyous, innocent way of life, as well as its unhappy ending are charmingly portrayed in delicate watercolors, filled with amusing details. Helme Heine, internationally recognized for his earlier books such as Friends, The Pigs' Wedding, One Day in Paradise, and, most recently, Seven Wild Pigs, again demonstrates his great artistry, wit, and imagination.

Genres: German Literature, Picture Books, Childrens

32 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1987

About the author

Helme Heine was a best-selling German writer, children's book author, illustrator and designer. He lived in New Zealand, writing screenplays, audiobook scripts and creating satirical drawings and sculptures.

Reviews

[Rod Brown · Rating 2 out of 5]

What a bleak and sad allegory about urbanization and selfishness. My daughter and I did not enjoy this when she was four despite some of the bears looking pretty cute.

[Jaden]

Traditional Literature

Back in the olden days any bear in the forest could change into a prince and any princess could change into a bear. They could only change through a kiss. After all the trees got cut down, nobody wanted to be a bear anymore. If a princess went into the woods, all the bears would chase her for a kiss. The bears marched to the castle and insisted they get a kiss. The princesses said no because there were too many in the castle already. Ever since then, no bear can turn into a prince and no princess can turn into a bear.

[Eliška · Rating 5 out of 5]

Tak zábavná a neskutečně zdrcující a pravdivá pohádka se jen tak nevidí...

[Amanda · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is lovely. At first bears can become princes and princesses can become bears, so when either species is tired of doing what they do, they can switch. But then...the forest gets destroyed and bears had to buy licenses to hunt and fish and roads became dangerous to cross, so the bears tried to escape the destruction by kissing a princess and getting into the castle. But then...no princesses wanted to become bears because conditions were worsening so all the princesses stay couped up and the bears come picketing with kissy lips signs to no avail. And now the magic no longer exists. Sigh.

[Melinda · Rating 2 out of 5]

Based on a German fairy tale, the end of this story is just kind of sad!