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Polar Bear
Polar Bear Night
A polar bear cub . . . A nighttime journey . . . A bedtime story of love and wonder. One keen, clear night, a polar bear cub wakes inside her warm den. Something in the moonlit stillness quietly beckons. What is it?The little cub sets out for the snow and sky and sea and ice, and the moon follows.So begins a magical journey through a starlit world filled with love and wonder. Soothing words and luminous pictures make this nighttime tale as comforting as a goodnight kiss.
32 pages, Hardcover
First published October 1, 2004
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 126 reviews
November 30, 2011
I am SO not a big fan of cute but this isn't so much CUTE as it is quiet and precise. Gentle declarative sentences, varied phrasing & structure, great vocabulary, wonderful colors.
AND the bear doesn't get lost or ask the mama questions or make a friend or feel scared or lonely or brave. She just goes for a walk in her beautiful world, and goes home again, all by herself.
The more I think about this, the better I like it.
PS. Who else sees the Where's Walrus walrus here? :)
Next day addendum: I thought about this book all night and I'm making it 5 stars. I'm feeling even more that the strength of this book is in everything it's not: it's not a learn-a-lesson story or a my-first-experience story or a mama-loves-you-so-much story. It's still very much from a child perpective, very much a child's book, but without a noisy grown-up agenda.
AND the bear doesn't get lost or ask the mama questions or make a friend or feel scared or lonely or brave. She just goes for a walk in her beautiful world, and goes home again, all by herself.
The more I think about this, the better I like it.
PS. Who else sees the Where's Walrus walrus here? :)
Next day addendum: I thought about this book all night and I'm making it 5 stars. I'm feeling even more that the strength of this book is in everything it's not: it's not a learn-a-lesson story or a my-first-experience story or a mama-loves-you-so-much story. It's still very much from a child perpective, very much a child's book, but without a noisy grown-up agenda.
January 11, 2018
Beautiful shades of night are sprinkled throughout this simple tale of a polar bears adventures while all the other animals are sleeping. What a cool surprise he gets while out and about! The illustrations are wonderful and expressive - very unique. I loved this story and I think kids will, too! Great for a quick read-aloud to a class. Highly recommended for Grades K-2.
January 19, 2022
Maybe I am being a bit overly harsh with my one star rating regarding Lauren Thompson’s presented text and Stephen A. Savage’s accompanying artwork for their 2004 picture book Polar Bear Night. But sorry (and yes, I personally do very much stand by my intense negativity towards Polar Bear Cub), both Thompson’s textual contents and Savage’s illustrations, I have found them absolutely and totally unpleasant, majorly lacking and therefore also NOT AT ALL to be recommended (and yes, even though I do realise and acknowledge that Polar Bear Night was considered a 2005 Charlotte Zolotow Honour book).
Because honestly, considering that Polar Bear Night (at least in my humble opinion) is obviously supposed to be taking place during the winter months, during the so-called polar night (when there is no daylight whatsoever above the Arctic Circle) and when polar bear mothers are denning up and have just given birth to tiny, defenceless cubs, it absolute makes no sense whatsoever (and is ridiculously overly fantastical) for Lauren Thompson to write about a very young and diminutive polar bear cub venturing out alone at night and having all sorts of exploratory adventures and visual experiences. Because no, female polar bears sleep during the winter and when their offspring is born, the cubs are tiny and will of course not be taking off on their own at night, so that the entire premise which Lauren Thompson presents to her readers/listeners in Polar Bear Night, well, it just does not work with regard to actual polar bear reality (and not to mention, that even as a fantasy, I find Lauren Thompson’s words in Polar Bear Night rather problematic, as I also do consider it pretty dangerous in and of itself for Thompson to write a positive and accepting story of a youngster, and even if said youngster is a polar bear, going out alone on a cold winter night).
And with regard to Stephen A. Savage’s accompanying illustrations, sorry, but I really do not at all enjoy his highly stylised artwork, finding Savage’s pictures aesthetically ugly, dreary looking and with in particular his renderings of the young polar bear and his mother not looking realistic at all and most definitely majorly grating so much on my visual nerves that I really wish that Stephen A. Savage were not the illustrator for Polar Bear Night (since while I really do not enjoy Lauren Thompson’s narrative, I have to admit that I most certainly consider Savage’s illustrations considerably worse and more horrible than Thompson’s printed words).
Because honestly, considering that Polar Bear Night (at least in my humble opinion) is obviously supposed to be taking place during the winter months, during the so-called polar night (when there is no daylight whatsoever above the Arctic Circle) and when polar bear mothers are denning up and have just given birth to tiny, defenceless cubs, it absolute makes no sense whatsoever (and is ridiculously overly fantastical) for Lauren Thompson to write about a very young and diminutive polar bear cub venturing out alone at night and having all sorts of exploratory adventures and visual experiences. Because no, female polar bears sleep during the winter and when their offspring is born, the cubs are tiny and will of course not be taking off on their own at night, so that the entire premise which Lauren Thompson presents to her readers/listeners in Polar Bear Night, well, it just does not work with regard to actual polar bear reality (and not to mention, that even as a fantasy, I find Lauren Thompson’s words in Polar Bear Night rather problematic, as I also do consider it pretty dangerous in and of itself for Thompson to write a positive and accepting story of a youngster, and even if said youngster is a polar bear, going out alone on a cold winter night).
And with regard to Stephen A. Savage’s accompanying illustrations, sorry, but I really do not at all enjoy his highly stylised artwork, finding Savage’s pictures aesthetically ugly, dreary looking and with in particular his renderings of the young polar bear and his mother not looking realistic at all and most definitely majorly grating so much on my visual nerves that I really wish that Stephen A. Savage were not the illustrator for Polar Bear Night (since while I really do not enjoy Lauren Thompson’s narrative, I have to admit that I most certainly consider Savage’s illustrations considerably worse and more horrible than Thompson’s printed words).
June 20, 2017
A small polar bear meets a friend by following a flying seagull.
May 6, 2019
I first read this book a few years ago with my middle child. Now my youngest has picked it up and it instantly became one of her favourites. Both my children love the subtle illustrations. And the story.
There are two editions of this book, a board book and a picture book. The story follows a little female bear cub who wakes up and takes a stroll from her den. She walks at night she sees all her favourite things, seals, whales, and then she notices shooting stars. The night puts on a wonderful show for her.
As a family we love the story and adore the illustrations. Stephen Savage's illustrations are wonderful. The subtlety in the shading and the limited pallet used really enhance the book.
Read the review on my blog Book Reviews and More and reviews of other books from Scholastic.
There are two editions of this book, a board book and a picture book. The story follows a little female bear cub who wakes up and takes a stroll from her den. She walks at night she sees all her favourite things, seals, whales, and then she notices shooting stars. The night puts on a wonderful show for her.
As a family we love the story and adore the illustrations. Stephen Savage's illustrations are wonderful. The subtlety in the shading and the limited pallet used really enhance the book.
Read the review on my blog Book Reviews and More and reviews of other books from Scholastic.
January 10, 2015
Awful. Grating on my nerves. The words jingle jangle like loose coins in my pocket. No rhythm. I can't tell if it's nighttime or first light. Wake up phrases used, not calm soothing go to sleep sounds. Dark colored pages and black letters make it a bit of a challenge to read.
February 15, 2017
Nice, simple artwork, with a construction paper cut-out style. The story, though, is a little boring, and it uses complicated words that are too far above the age group, I think. They're not just complicated, they're strange word choices.
September 2, 2025
This was such a cute book would read again!
September 30, 2025
This story is a bedtime story which also has good illustrations.
September 24, 2009
The illustrations in this story were very much not to my taste. The colors were all muted and fuzzy in appearance. I have a hard time believing that a child would be captivated by its lack of vibracity. The story line was also lacking, in my opinion. I think that in a book where not much in regards to plot in going on, the illustrations almost need to make up that lost ground. I found both to be rather uninteresting. The idea behind it was very child friendly, but I do not think the execution would make it a very popular read.
December 19, 2015
Polar Bear Night won a Charlotte Zolotow Honor in 2005. While, I agree that the text is beautiful. I also think it might be a little over the head of young children. Children understand concrete ideas more than abstract ones. I just have a hard time believing a young child would really understand the message, beautiful as it may be. The illustrations are beautiful and really capture the the feeling of a cold climate and late night. I personally loved the book. I just can't agree that it would be understood by a two year old.
January 13, 2008
I read this story to groups ranging from very active 2 year olds to my wonderful 3-6 year old story hour group. And they all LOVED it!
This is a QUIET book. And the kids sensed that, even those active 2 year olds. Highly recommended, especially as a bedtime book.
This is a QUIET book. And the kids sensed that, even those active 2 year olds. Highly recommended, especially as a bedtime book.
December 6, 2008
I saw that this was an award-winning book, so I thought we could check it out. It's a short story, with simple narrative and muted, blue-tinted illustrations. I think the girls enjoyed the story and it's a good one for bedtime, but I wasn't overly impressed. Just okay.
June 25, 2010
Sweet and sleepy, this story of a little bear reflecting on the love he has for his mother, his friends and his home would appeal to any preschooler. The pictures are quiet and muted.
September 13, 2012
I loved the abstract illustrations and the quiet feel of this book. This book seems like a classic from another era.
November 28, 2018
This book is about a young polar bear who sees something strange in the night sky and wanders from the safety and comfort of her home with her mother to find out what it is. As she wanders through the night trying to find what she saw, she sees all of the animals fast asleep, including the seals and the whales. She eventually gets to a mountain top and sees a beautiful star shower. The shower lights up everything that the polar bear loves and she is filled with joy. After the shower, she returns to her home.
I like this book because it is very cute and simple. It's a sweet story about satisfying curiosities and finding small discoveries that can be so powerful to someone. I loved the illustrations and the language too.
I think this book would be great to use in a classroom for learning vocabulary. It uses words that are not typically seen in children's picture books, such as beckon and keen. I also think it would appeal to children who are adventurous or aspire to be.
I like this book because it is very cute and simple. It's a sweet story about satisfying curiosities and finding small discoveries that can be so powerful to someone. I loved the illustrations and the language too.
I think this book would be great to use in a classroom for learning vocabulary. It uses words that are not typically seen in children's picture books, such as beckon and keen. I also think it would appeal to children who are adventurous or aspire to be.
December 27, 2014
Booklist starred (November 15, 2004 (Vol. 101, No. 6))
PreS-K. Joining Henkes'Kitten's First Full Moon [BKL F 1 04] and Mo Willems'pigeon duet is another graphically minimalist yet utterly effective picture book for the very young. "Snug inside her warm den, a polar bear cub wakes. Something in the moonlit stillness quietly beckons. What is it?"The tug of this gentle mystery will draw children into Thompson's simple bedtime story, and the hypnotic ebb and flow of her alliterative lines (on a night that's "keen and cold,"little cub "sets out for the snow and sky and sea and ice") will keep children immersed as the young explorer encounters floating, dreaming sea creatures, and witnesses a meteor shower that further transforms the already exotic nighttime surroundings. As arresting as Thompson's language are Savage's powerful linocuts, which beautifully reference the textures and forms of Inuit stone carvings and evoke the arctic landscape in a few elemental colors per spread: glacial blues, grays, and sea greens; the pinks and lavenders of the aurora borealis. Like Henkes'kitten and Willems'pigeon, little cub harks back to an earlier, more technologically constrained era of bookmaking, when enduring classics were born of well-honed writing and thoughtful design rather than easy, glitzy effects.
Horn Book (November/December, 2004)
Bold linocut prints in cool blues offer visual tranquility in this soothing bedtime tale. A polar bear cub wakes suddenly in her cozy den. "Something in the moonlit stillness quietly beckons. What is it?" She sets out across the snow and ice, passing sleeping animals on the land and in the sea. Then a meteor shower begins, waking the walrus and seals and whales, lighting up "everything the little bear loves." Strong lines and simple shapes create clear images for young viewers as they follow the bear's journey over the cold nighttime landscape, gently lit with moon and stars. As the little cub returns to her mother, readers, too, will be ready to snuggle down to sleep.
Horn Book starred (Spring 2005)
Bold linocut prints in cool blues offer visual tranquility in this soothing bedtime tale. A polar bear cub wakes and sets out across the snow, passing sleeping animals on the land and in the sea. Then a meteor shower begins, lighting up "everything the little bear loves." Strong lines and simple shapes create clear images for young viewers.
Kirkus Reviews starred (October 15, 2004)
Beckoned by a moonlit stillness, a polar-bear cub wakes up and sets out for the sky, sea, and ice. She passes sleeping walruses, seals, and whales and keeps walking and listening until she comes to a mountain of snow and then waits. The moon waits with her; suddenly a star shower falls down like snowflakes, lighting up all the mammals and the cub's snug den and sleeping mother. As the stars stop falling, shining as they too sleep, little polar bear is also ready for sleep and returns home. The broad-shaped linocuts in striking shades of nighttime blues, dark greens, and blacks are graphically enlivening and exciting. The simplicity in the art, text, and plot belie the deft craftsmanship, like carving an ice sculpture. This bedtime story will captivate young listeners; it sparkles just like ice crystals on a moonlit night. (Picture book. 3-5)
Publishers Weekly (November 22, 2004)
In Savage's striking compositions, a night lit by dazzling moonglow on "snow and sky and sea and ice" wakens a polar bear cub to a special adventure. Not knowing why she was somehow roused from sleep, where she lay next to her "warm, soft mother" in their den, the cub treks softly across the snow until she reaches a high drift. There, the cub witnesses a glittering star shower: "The stars are like snowflakes, falling, falling." After the natural light show, the cub heads back home and again snuggles into the warmth of her sleeping mother. Thompson's (Little Quack) phrasing emits a fittingly hushed quality and conveys a sense of wide-eyed wonder. Her nighttime Arctic imagery and soft repetition create a pleasingly soporific effect. Savage's (Making Tracks) crisp linocuts in a medley of icy bright blues, whites and purples and blacks contribute to a chilly yet soothing nocturnal landscape. The large shapes and frequent up-close perspective draw readers into the proceedings, while the rounded forms and friendly faces of various animals provide reassurance for the cuddly-looking cub in her wanderings. In Savage's velvety spreads, the darkness is quietly beautiful and never ominous. Ages 3-5. (Oct.) Copyright 2004 Reed Business Information.
School Library Journal (November 1, 2004)
PreS-Gr 1-With comforting, carefully chosen words and soft pastels shading linocut prints, this book has all the elements to make it a bedtime favorite. A polar bear cub leaves the security of her warm den to discover something special out in the cold arctic air. The words "The night is keen and cold" have both a visceral and riveting effect. The choice of colors for each page establishes the mood; as the little cub sets off into snow she finds a world shaded in pink and violet, with a deep black/green sky. The comfort is reinforced at the sight of the sleeping animals she encounters, and the repetition of phrases ("She sees the seals-. She sees the whales") keeps the rhythm going. Sharp edges pair easily with soft colors as the drama of the cub's outing builds to the climax of falling stars that light up the sky, the sea, and the animals. In fact, "They light up everything the little bear loves." When the stars stop falling, she's ready to go back home to her mother's "soft, warm fur." A successful and satisfying combination of adventure and bedtime story.-Jane Marino, Bronxville Public Library, NY Copyright 2004 Reed Business Information.
PreS-K. Joining Henkes'Kitten's First Full Moon [BKL F 1 04] and Mo Willems'pigeon duet is another graphically minimalist yet utterly effective picture book for the very young. "Snug inside her warm den, a polar bear cub wakes. Something in the moonlit stillness quietly beckons. What is it?"The tug of this gentle mystery will draw children into Thompson's simple bedtime story, and the hypnotic ebb and flow of her alliterative lines (on a night that's "keen and cold,"little cub "sets out for the snow and sky and sea and ice") will keep children immersed as the young explorer encounters floating, dreaming sea creatures, and witnesses a meteor shower that further transforms the already exotic nighttime surroundings. As arresting as Thompson's language are Savage's powerful linocuts, which beautifully reference the textures and forms of Inuit stone carvings and evoke the arctic landscape in a few elemental colors per spread: glacial blues, grays, and sea greens; the pinks and lavenders of the aurora borealis. Like Henkes'kitten and Willems'pigeon, little cub harks back to an earlier, more technologically constrained era of bookmaking, when enduring classics were born of well-honed writing and thoughtful design rather than easy, glitzy effects.
Horn Book (November/December, 2004)
Bold linocut prints in cool blues offer visual tranquility in this soothing bedtime tale. A polar bear cub wakes suddenly in her cozy den. "Something in the moonlit stillness quietly beckons. What is it?" She sets out across the snow and ice, passing sleeping animals on the land and in the sea. Then a meteor shower begins, waking the walrus and seals and whales, lighting up "everything the little bear loves." Strong lines and simple shapes create clear images for young viewers as they follow the bear's journey over the cold nighttime landscape, gently lit with moon and stars. As the little cub returns to her mother, readers, too, will be ready to snuggle down to sleep.
Horn Book starred (Spring 2005)
Bold linocut prints in cool blues offer visual tranquility in this soothing bedtime tale. A polar bear cub wakes and sets out across the snow, passing sleeping animals on the land and in the sea. Then a meteor shower begins, lighting up "everything the little bear loves." Strong lines and simple shapes create clear images for young viewers.
Kirkus Reviews starred (October 15, 2004)
Beckoned by a moonlit stillness, a polar-bear cub wakes up and sets out for the sky, sea, and ice. She passes sleeping walruses, seals, and whales and keeps walking and listening until she comes to a mountain of snow and then waits. The moon waits with her; suddenly a star shower falls down like snowflakes, lighting up all the mammals and the cub's snug den and sleeping mother. As the stars stop falling, shining as they too sleep, little polar bear is also ready for sleep and returns home. The broad-shaped linocuts in striking shades of nighttime blues, dark greens, and blacks are graphically enlivening and exciting. The simplicity in the art, text, and plot belie the deft craftsmanship, like carving an ice sculpture. This bedtime story will captivate young listeners; it sparkles just like ice crystals on a moonlit night. (Picture book. 3-5)
Publishers Weekly (November 22, 2004)
In Savage's striking compositions, a night lit by dazzling moonglow on "snow and sky and sea and ice" wakens a polar bear cub to a special adventure. Not knowing why she was somehow roused from sleep, where she lay next to her "warm, soft mother" in their den, the cub treks softly across the snow until she reaches a high drift. There, the cub witnesses a glittering star shower: "The stars are like snowflakes, falling, falling." After the natural light show, the cub heads back home and again snuggles into the warmth of her sleeping mother. Thompson's (Little Quack) phrasing emits a fittingly hushed quality and conveys a sense of wide-eyed wonder. Her nighttime Arctic imagery and soft repetition create a pleasingly soporific effect. Savage's (Making Tracks) crisp linocuts in a medley of icy bright blues, whites and purples and blacks contribute to a chilly yet soothing nocturnal landscape. The large shapes and frequent up-close perspective draw readers into the proceedings, while the rounded forms and friendly faces of various animals provide reassurance for the cuddly-looking cub in her wanderings. In Savage's velvety spreads, the darkness is quietly beautiful and never ominous. Ages 3-5. (Oct.) Copyright 2004 Reed Business Information.
School Library Journal (November 1, 2004)
PreS-Gr 1-With comforting, carefully chosen words and soft pastels shading linocut prints, this book has all the elements to make it a bedtime favorite. A polar bear cub leaves the security of her warm den to discover something special out in the cold arctic air. The words "The night is keen and cold" have both a visceral and riveting effect. The choice of colors for each page establishes the mood; as the little cub sets off into snow she finds a world shaded in pink and violet, with a deep black/green sky. The comfort is reinforced at the sight of the sleeping animals she encounters, and the repetition of phrases ("She sees the seals-. She sees the whales") keeps the rhythm going. Sharp edges pair easily with soft colors as the drama of the cub's outing builds to the climax of falling stars that light up the sky, the sea, and the animals. In fact, "They light up everything the little bear loves." When the stars stop falling, she's ready to go back home to her mother's "soft, warm fur." A successful and satisfying combination of adventure and bedtime story.-Jane Marino, Bronxville Public Library, NY Copyright 2004 Reed Business Information.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 22, 2018
Polar Bear travels over land, seeing sleeping animals and searching for something intangible that beckons. The illustration style of monochrome linocuts on rice paper makes for a beautiful, bold, calm simplicity. It reminded me of a winter-themed nursery in the best way. Polar Bear sees many different tundra-dwelling animals sleeping before making her way to the cuddly safety of home. Best read with a yawning inflection for maximum effect.
Upsides: Enjoy this quick read around bedtime, with small pantomimes of the sleeping animals. The easy prose and delicately engaging images just beg for a warm blanket and a cup of cocoa.
Downsides: Perhaps too simplistic for some readers, this book may be too quick a read for kids and parents who are not fully ready for sleep. Slow down to savor every line and get the most out of this relaxing book.
Upsides: Enjoy this quick read around bedtime, with small pantomimes of the sleeping animals. The easy prose and delicately engaging images just beg for a warm blanket and a cup of cocoa.
Downsides: Perhaps too simplistic for some readers, this book may be too quick a read for kids and parents who are not fully ready for sleep. Slow down to savor every line and get the most out of this relaxing book.
January 2, 2021
4.5 rounded to 5. I love this book. It's simple beautiful quiet illustrations of a cub polar bear who wakes at night and ventures out into the snow. The book has simple repetition where the little cub sees different animals (walrus, seals, whales) sleeping. This repetition is nice and tender with little ones. The book is quiet in such a way as it is out in the real snow. The cub returns to his mother to snuggle in their warm den. I've read aloud to toddlers, preschoolers, pre-k, and even young school agers ESOL.
November 4, 2016
Story is about a baby polar bear who can't sleep one night and decides to wander around. As he explores, he ends up getting tired and finally rests. I liked this story because it was a simple story with great pictures. Little kids would love this story because it is interesting and a cute story. Children can learn what animals live near each other. In the book, the polar bear watches the whales, the walrus, seals and the stars.
September 3, 2017
The art here is so gorgeous but the story is only okay. A baby polar bear leaves her warm nest to explore in the night, discovering lots of sleeping animals along the way. There's a star shower (which maybe I'm just dumb but is that like a meteor shower or shooting stars or what?) and it also looks like the Northern Lights are out but no attention is drawn to them? Kinda odd.
June 21, 2023
Hand painted and taped-off, sharp-edges-looking illustrations. A good amount of texture. Interesting as an adult, but they're the exact kind of non-detailed, unexpressive, vague, flat illustrations I was bored by as a child. A special shout-out though to the sleeping seals' reflections in the water.
December 4, 2024
this is a quiet book, so i hope my rambunctious storytime kiddos are in a quiet mood tomorrow. i absolutely love this book. gorgeous stylized art that really captures the cub's solitude as she ventures through her snowy world. but the story always feels safe and cozy. it invokes a warm hug from your mom on a winter's night.
December 21, 2017
A young polar bear wakes up during the winter night and searches for the light that woke it. She explores until she finds the shooting stars.
I hoped for more from the text but the illustrations are lovely and show the light casting shadows in the night.
I hoped for more from the text but the illustrations are lovely and show the light casting shadows in the night.
January 4, 2022
Truthfully, a little long for a board book. But the plot was pleasant and the illustrations were interesting. Recommend for littler kiddos who have a good attention span. Definitely not an independent reading board book.
February 23, 2022
This was a cute story about a young polar bear that goes exploring after it’s mama goes to sleep. It was a cute story. Very short, but not super entertaining.
This would be good to read to younger kids with shorter attention spans.
This would be good to read to younger kids with shorter attention spans.
March 8, 2023
cute but simple book, good for younger children to read before starting school. Illustrations are kind of bland in my opinion and I wish it has some more pops of color. I would read this as a bed time story to a 3 year old and i think it would keep the child engaged.
January 18, 2024
This is one of those books that moves lazily along. There's no rushing through it. You just sit back with a little person, slowly read the simple story, enjoy the simple illustrations, and enjoy the tenderness.
June 6, 2017
I read this to my 5 and just turned 7 yr old and they both enjoyed it ! I loved the monochromatic illustrations . It's a very soothing bed time book!
November 24, 2017
I enjoy the art in this and the story is nice and not too long. Could be usable for a future storytime about snow.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 126 reviews