Where, Where Is Swamp Bear?

by Kathi Appelt, Meghan Halsey (Illustrator)

Can you help Pierre find the shy swamp bear? She's sure to be somewhere close by?

While engaging in a lively conversation with his patient grandfather, Pierre searches for the secret spaces, hidden nests, and hiding places that might shelter North America's legendary black bear. But that's not an easy task in this swamp, where blossoms and trees, shown in magnificent cut-paper illustrations, create perfect camouflage.

Genres: Picture Books, Fiction, Childrens

32 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2002

About the author

Lives in College Station, TX with husband Ken and four adorable cats.

Two sons, both musicians.

Serves on the faculty at Vermont College of Fine Arts in the MFA in Writing for Children and Young Adults Program.

Reviews

[Adrianna · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Where, Where is Swamp Bear?" by Kathi Appelt is a great book which tells the engaging story of a young boy named Pierre and his grandfather. Throughout the story, Pierre and his grandfather and trying to find the shy swamp bear. During their search, Pierre's grandfather explains facts that he's learned about the black bear. His grandfather has learned that black bears like pine trees and that these bears like to take a swim in the water. At the end of the book, Pierre and his grandfather leave with plenty of fish and the swamp bear near them. After the book ended, the author included a special note about the bear that Pierre and Granpere were looking for, a Louisiana black. The author explained that these bears are a smaller subspecies of the North American black bear. She also explained that due to over hunting, the Louisiana black bears are now on the official endangered species list. The author stated that we can respond by conserving our wilderness lands and natural forests. The author also mentioned an interesting story about Theodore Roosevelt and the vents that transpired when he went on a bear hunt on a Mississippi. The author explained how this bear hunt eventually led to the creation of Teddy bears. Finally, the author ended with good advice. If a person does decide to track down a bear, they should take binoculars and keep a safe distance. I really enjoyed this book and I appreciated that the author included information about the Louisiana black bears. It was great for the author to conclude an interesting story with an informational page that brings awareness to Louisiana black bears.

[Kathy Nealen · Rating 4 out of 5]

A boy and his grandfather travel through a swamp looking for a swamp bear. On each set of pages, the grandfather gives a hint about where the swamp bear is likely to be. My granddaughter could follow along and try to find the swamp bear hiding in each setting. The inside cover of the books shows other swamp creatures and names them. They are also sprinkled throughout the pages which allows the child to search for other animals. I found it educational about perspective. In some pictures, the swamp bear was far away and so was he was very small. I could see my nearly three year old granddaughter’s surprise when I showed her a far away image. The book is oddly written like a play dialogue but I just ignored it as I read it to my granddaughter. We really enjoyed participating in the journey to find swamp bear.

[Caroline K. · Rating 3 out of 5]

Through exploratory narrative, this book teaches about swamps and the climates native to black bears. A boy spends a day in the swamp with his grandfather, and asks many questions as he observes his surroundings.

The text does not strictly rhyme, but has some looser rhymes and rhythmic elements. My favorite portion:
"The tannin from the leaves, I think. They fall into the slimy stew and then, like tea, they steep and brew. And when the water's dark as night, the mink can slink clean out of sight." Beautiful imagery, compelling use of sounds, and the words roll off the tongue easily. If the book had more passages like this, I would definitely rate it higher. I would like to rate it 3.5, but am going with 3 for now.

There are a couple pages containing labeled animals to be on the look out for throughout the illustrations. And it is fun to search each picture for the hiding black bear.

[Kary · Rating 2 out of 5]

Did not care for the writing. I thought it was awkward and difficult to follow. I also didn't like how it was written like a script.

[Sarah · Rating 2 out of 5]

A grandfather and grandson are out bear tracking, and we learn about bears as we follow them through the forest. The story is told in script form and some lines rhyme but there's not a clear pattern. The overall effect of this is a faltering feeling as we read along. The illustrations are cut paper and watercolor - they are flat-looking and don't add to the excitement I assume we should be feeling.

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Every book I've read by Kathi Appelt has been a delight. This picture book is in two voices and could easily be read by two. Pierre and Granpere travel through the swamp looking for the swamp bear. This is a fun book to share with young children.

[Devin L. · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is about preserving the Lousiana swamps. It follows a young boy and his grandfather as they search the swamp for the elusive swamp bear. Students will enjoy finding swamp bear in the illustrations on each page. Its a great book to use when discussing conservation and natural resources.

[Christie Suh · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is a story about a boy and his grandfather's search for an endangered bear that was once very populous throughout Louisiana.

[Crystal · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a nice story about a boy and his grandfather in a Louisiana swamp. The cut-paper illustrations are magnificent, and really highlight the swamp.

[Lacey · Rating 2 out of 5]

Cute idea but not a fan of how it is written. It's like a play or something with just dialogue between the boy and his grandpa.

[Danielle Mootz · Rating 2 out of 5]

We loved searching for swamp bear bit the kids were a little confused by the format.