Wake Up, Bear... It's Christmas!

by Stephen Gammell

Bear decides to wake up on Christmas Eve instead of sleeping through and finds himself entertaining an unexpected visitor--Santa Claus

Genres: Christmas, Picture Books

32 pages, Hardcover

First published October 1, 1981

About the author

Caldecott winner US children's book illustrator.

Biography

Reviews

[Westcoast_girl · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a sweet little Christmas picture book from the 80's.
It's about a hibernating bear who decides one year he doesn't want to miss Christmas. So on Christmas Eve, he wakes up and begins to celebrate. It is quite a quiet affair until a strange man in a red cap shows up!

I love how the Santa in this book is not so stereotypical. He is a tall thin man who drives a sled with one moose. It's quite refreshing.

I also find it charming that the bear is so quaint and always talks in verse.

This book is a treasure.

[Lynn Davidson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bear was used to sleeping all winter but this winter he planned on waking on Christmas Eve. To his surprise he had a special visitor that night which ended with an exciting experience for Bear.
Their conversation is in rhyme. Nicely illustrated.

[Maren Prestegaard · Rating 4 out of 5]

this book made it from the Rodell house to the Prestegaard house. one of very few saved.
i like the santa in this one. he's chummy and mysterious at the same time.

[Samantha Osborne · Rating 5 out of 5]

a cute christmas book for kids

[Hannah McDonald · Rating 3 out of 5]

Bear has slept through Christmas for seven years, and he was determined to see Christmas this year. He set an alarm to wake him up for Christmas. Well he woke up to a snowy, winter wonderland. He got a pine tree from outside and decorated it and waited, while playing his guitar. He had a visitor come inside his home to get warm. It was Santa Claus. They sang, talked about the snow and wind, and talked about Christmas Eve. When Santa left, he invited bear to go for a ride in his sleigh. Bear did and before he could say lets be off, they were already in the air. Bear couldn't believe it. He had so much fun and planned to hang out with Santa every year.
This story is very cute for a little kid. I know that they would just fall in love. It has Santa and a bear in it: two things kids love.
I would use this classroom in talking about bear hibernation. I would read a nonfiction book about bears hibernating, and then i could read this cute book to them. Hopefully, they will realize that animals can enjoy the snow too.