I’ve compiled a list of stories about bears. Filled with humor, bear facts, and great illustrations, these books are perfect for preschoolers My son made a cute fuzzy bear craft that ties in perfectly with these stories! Check out my list of POLAR BEAR books too!
12 Bear Stories:
1. Bear is Awake: an alphabet story by Hannah E. Harrison–
This is such a cool book! With hardly any words, the reader pieces the story together from the fantastic illustrations and the alphabet letter and corresponding word on each page. In this book, a bear awakens too early ( A = awake) and sets off in search of food. It finds a little girl in a cabin, who, through a series of humorous events, helps bear return to its home and go back to sleep. Zzzzzzz.
2. Polar Bear’s Underwear by Tupera Tupera–
Polar has lost his underwear! His friend mouse helps him search. They spot lots of underwear, but none of them are Polar Bear’s. This book features fun cut outs that show a glimpse of the undies featured in the next page. Preschoolers will enjoy guessing whether these are Polar Bear’s or not. Just when Mouse and Polar Bear are about to give up, Polar Bear remembers that he’s wearing white underwear! It’s camouflaged in his fur— silly bear!
3. We’re Going on a Bear Hunt by Michael Rosen–
This books takes the reader on a great adventure through all sorts of obstacles in search of a bear. It is super fun to make all of the noises in the book and act out the story as the book progresses. Every time we read this, my son acts out the story on his own afterward, often using toys or pretending to have his own bear hunt outside as we walk through our neighborhood. You can substitute anything for “bear” and go on all sorts of adventures! This book is a beloved classic and should be available at your library. My kiddo loved it so much that we bought it.
4. Bear Says Thanks by Karma Wilson–
Karma Wilson is one of my favorite authors and my son and I especially lover her Bear series! In this Bear book, Bear and friends come together for a wonderful fall feast. Each one contributes something to the meal, except for Bear, whose cupboard is empty. Bear is thankful for his friends and their generosity, but worries that he has nothing to contribute. That’s not true, his friends say. Then Bear shares the one thing he can, his fantastic stories! I love this lesson that everyone has something to share even if it is not a material thing.
5. Baby Bear Sees Blue by Ashley Wolff—
Wow. The illustrations are beautiful in this book about a baby and mommy bear. Baby bear wakes in the spring to a beautiful world filled with bright colors. Each spread focuses on a different color as the bear makes its way out of the cave and explores the forest. A rain storm causes the bears to go back to their cave, but when they look out after the storm has passed they see a rainbow!
6. Polar Bear Babies by Susan Ring —
Learn about the survival skills baby polar bears need for life in the harsh arctic in this short book. The babies need to learn to swim, catch fish, and run around the snow. The cute images of the baby bears greatly appealed to my son.
7. Don’t Wake Up the Bear! by Marjory Dennis Murray–
Preschooler will enjoy this funny story about a bunch of cold forest animals who sneak into bear’s warm cave while it is hibernating. One by one the cave fills up with animals who whisper “don’t wake up the bear.” Everyone is quietly warming up when a little mouse sneezes in bear’s ear and bear wakes up! Is this is the end of the animals warm cuddle? Read this cute story to find out!
8. Bear’s New Friend by Karma Wilson–
Bear heads out to enjoy the day and hears a sound. Is it his friend mouse? Nope, not mouse. One by one, Bear and his friends end up in a guessing game trying to figure out who this new creature is. They keep asking “Who?” Turns out to be a shy owl. Will owl want to be friends too? Read this one and find out!
9. Kite Day: a Bear and Mole story by Will Hillenbrand —
It is a lovely, windy day — perfect for flying a kite. Friends Bear and Mole decide to make a kite. They plan, collect supplies, measure, and construct (great for STEM lesson) and then take their new kite out for some flying fun! Suddenly a storm blows in and the kite escapes. Bear and Mole chase after their kite. Oh no! Is the kite gone forever? They find it stuck in a tree where it is sheltering baby birds from the storm 🙂
10. Old Bear by Kevin Henkes–
Winter is on its way and it’s time for Old Bear to hibernate. Old Bear settles down to sleep in its cave where it dreams that it is young again. Henkes takes the reader on a journey through all the seasons in Bear’s dreams, illustrating the changes in nature in each season for preschoolers to get a great visual understanding. When Old Bear awakes, it is spring and the world outside the cave is just as beautiful as Bear dreamed it would be.
11. Sneeze, Big Bear Sneeze by Maureen Wright–
In this adorable fall story, a bear thinks his sneezes are causing apples and leaves to fall from trees and driving out the geese. Preschoolers will enjoy knowing that it is really the wind, signaling the changing of the seasons, that is causing apples and leaves to fall and causing geese to migrate before the winter cold arrives. Will Hillenbrand’s illustrations are cozy and perfectly illustrate this simple, yet entertaining story. Follow this story with Sleep, Big Bear, Sleep, a lovely winter story about this sweet bear.
12. Time to Sleep by Denise Fleming–
Disclaimer:
I hope you enjoy these bear stories. I joined Amazon’s Affiliate program to try and help cover the costs of this site. If you buy something through one of my links on Amazon, then I may get a small percentage of the sale (no extra cost to you). Thank you for your support! Happy reading 🙂