Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See? Reviews

• Another Classic From Carle

  
  By A8DJ9EU2QP2JM on 2000-09-11
  I've had three children who fell in love with this book around age two. It does a wonderful job of teaching colors, animals and rhyme to toddlers.

  Aided by Carle's unique illustrations, this book begs to be chanted by the parent who will be reading it for the umpteenth time. ("Brown bear, brown bear, what do you see? I see a red bird looking at me. Red bird, red bird, what do you see? I see a ....." etc., etc.) The cadence and rhythm of the words have fascinated my youngsters as they learn to identify different colored animals populating the pages of the book. Strictly a teaching tool, the book does not have a story per se, but it seems to be just right for the child who is just beginning to discover the larger world.
  
  

• a classic

  
  By A1THGAZTUFKXG6 on 2001-06-19
  I remember loving this book as a child, and reading this to my six-month-old son brought back wonderful memories. Yes, there's a simplistic theme running through the pages, but a young child listens for the repetitive phrase and looks for the big, colorful images. My son gets very excited each time I read the book to him, reaching for each of the animals as the page turns; and as he gets older and can comprehend the pictures better, I'm sure he'll appreciate Martin and Carle's work as much as I did.

  I highly recommend this delightful book.
  
  

• Your kid will love it. Will you?

  
  By AVYPXNTQSOI8J on 2000-06-25
  I have a love-hate relationship with this book. I love it because my son loves it. He is two and a half. He has loved it for a year--really loved it. Every time we go to the library he makes a bee-line for it. We sit and read it. More often than not we will attract other toddlers who will surround us and recite the text along with us. It casts some sort of spell on small children, I think. I do not own this book, however, because I HATE it. It is so repetitive that I wince as I read it. In fact, one does not read it so much as one chants it. The brown bear mantra. My son has the entire text memorized. We'll be in the grocery store or in the car and he'll start reciting it. Or I'll chant part of it and he'll chant the rest. Or we'll ad lib, inventing new animals with new colors: "Grey Mouse, Grey Mouse, What do you see?" I guess I don't really HATE this book; it's hard to hate something that gives you so much pleasure. But I'm not ready to own it yet. That said, I can't wait for my brother to have a child. He sent my son a noisy Thomas the Tank Engine book for Christmas. It beeped and whistled and hooted and basically drove me out of my mind. I intend to pay him back with "Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See".
  
  

• New, revised version inferior to the original.

  
  By ANM22IADMQS3W on 2005-09-14
  I am a Kindergarten teacher in Connecticut, and have been using this book for many years. I have the Big Book, a regular-size Paperback version, and four small hardcover ones that I use with an original tape of Bill Martin reading the story. These books are much loved, and I decided to replenish my library with new ones, only to discover that for some reason known only to himself, Bill Martin decided to change the format. In the original version, the pictures helped give clues to the words, which emergent readers need: i.e "Brown bear, brown bear What do you see?" was on the page with the picture of the brown bear. The words "I see a red bird looking at me." and then "Red bird, red bird, what do you see?" were on the page with the picture of the red bird. In this newer, revised version, the page that contains part of the picture of the brown bear has "I see a red bird looking at me." on it. When you turn to the next page, with the picture of the red bird, you see the words, "Red bird, red bird, what do you see?" but then, on the same page you get the words "I see a yellow duck looking at me." No picture clue given. I don't like this version, and it's now impossible for me to obtain a copy of the original version. I think they must be out of print. So I'm holding on to mine for dear life! They're worth their weight in gold!
  
  

• A children's classic

  
  By on 2000-01-29
  Brown Bear, Brown Bear by Bill Martin Jr. and illustrated by Eric Carle is a classic book for young readers. The REPETITIVE (not rhyming) text is what makes the book easy for little ones to memorize. The book introduces the very young to animal names and color words. The simple, REPETITIVE text encourages even the youngest of readers to chime in. An excellent choice and a must have in your child's library.
  
  
• My daughter's favorite book
  By A3F45MPF8H2G4B on 2000-12-18
  I tried to interest my daughter in books early on (around 5 or 6 months) but she showed very little interest for a long time. She'd bat the book away, look elsewhere, or try to destroy the pages. I read in "The Read Aloud Handbook" that babies like simple pictures, so I picked up "Brown Bear" in the bookstore one day. For the first time, my daughter actually looked at the pages while I read a book. She's now almost 15 months, and she will choose this book over any other--she names the animals for me, and flips the pages back and forth, "reading" the book to herself. It's not the most interesting children's book I've ever read, certainly, but the rhyming and the pictures caught her attention, and got her interested in books. For that, this book is invaluable to me, and I'd recommend it to anyone.
  
  
• A Must Have Book for all Children.
  By on 1999-05-29
  Brown Bear, Brown Bear has provided my child with reading enjoyment since 9 months of age. The colors are outstanding and eye-catching to the little ones. This is most definately her favorite book. (As the book shows). It teaches children of various animals and associates them with colors. At the age of 14 months, my daughter could depict every picture and state it by name and color. True educational book for the young at heart . If your child does not have this book, trust me, buy it - it is well worth it. It's companion book, "Polar Bear, Polar Bear, What do you hear." is as phenomem.
  
  
• A book for every young child's bookshelf
  By A3ARV0MHB509C9 on 2000-07-11
  This was the second book (Tana Hoban's black and white book was the first) that I read to my son when he was a few months old and read it again and again. He was fascinated by the bright pictures in the book and the rhythmic language. Brown Bear brown bear, what do you see? I see a _____ looking at me... As he began to recognize animals and moo like a cow and quack like a duck, the pictures began to take shape for him and he would recognize them for what they were drawn to be. Mr. Carle writes and illustrates wonderful books. My son who is now 3, close to 4, still enjoys the book and he can now easily anticipate which animal is on the next page. I have this book in the board book style and when my son began to "read" for himself, this was one of the books he would frequently reach for. Highly, highly recommended!
  
  
• Which copy are you on?
  By A3SKM1WWVXNFWE on 2006-07-22
  Brown bear, Brown bear, What do you see?
  
  I see my 6 month old son clutching one of his favorite books and chewing on the cardboard corners after I've read it for the 14th time.
  
  Red Bird, Red Bird, What do you see?
  
  It's almost 2 years later and a new copy is being clutched by my daughter as she teethes on the cardboard corners after my wife has read it again for the 14th time.
  
  My kids love this book.
  
  For the brightly colored illustrations.
  
  For the sing-song pattern of the questions and answers.
  
  And, yes, for the dense cardboard corners that they've gnawed, and drooled, and teethed on as they held one of their favorite books close.
  
  I highly recommend Brown Bear, Brown Bear for your young children!
  
  Kevin Decker
  
  
• Great Book for Babies!
  By ATR4ICH72E3S4 on 2000-01-30
  I bought this book for my daughter when she turned one. It's been her favorite book. She knows all the animals, the colors and the sounds each animal makes. If you are looking to buy a perfect baby book, this is it. The pictures are great!
  
  
• An Attention Getter
  By A1KUJUNC9YBMHD on 2001-04-20
  "Brown Bear, Brown Bear" and "Polar Bear, Polar Bear" are two of my 12-month old son's favorite books. The repetitive manner keeps him interested. He knows the rhythm and turns the pages when necessary for me. Although he cannot say the names of the animals yet, he does recognize them. He gets upset if he is looking for a certain animal, and it is not in "Brown Bear, Brown Bear", so he will go and pick up "Polar Bear, Polar Bear", and page through it until he finds the proper animal. At one time or another a certain color catches his eye, and he is only interested in that animal for awhile. At first it was the green animals, the peacock for example. Now it is the purple cat. Who knows what it will be tomorrow. But his favorite part of the book is the last page, where all of the animals are in front of him and he can point at them and I will tell him what each one is. I am positive this book will help him in animal identification real soon.

  After reading the book for the eighth time in a night the animals all begin to sound the same. But, it keeps my sons interest and attention, so it is well worth it.
  
  

• Excellent even for infants
  By on 2000-02-26
  This is the first book we read to my son. He received it for Christmas when he was 2 months old, and I began reading it to him about then. At about 4 months, he was paying attention to it. Later, he enjoyed the animal sound effects we made when we read it to him. Brown Bear, Brown Bear was his very first favorite book, no doubt because the illustrations are large and clear, and the text is repetitive.
  
  
• Engaging for both mother and child
  By on 1999-11-13
  I just happened to pick up this book one day for my then 9 month old, and it has become his absolute favorite! The pictures are simple, yet vivid, and my now almost 1 year old is completely engaged whenever we read it together. He loves flipping from one animal to the next (and back) and more than any other book he is beginning to "read" it to me (or at least is talking to the purple cat). I love the gentle rhyming pattern of the text as well as the illustrations. It is just perfect for early reading sessions.
  
  
• Excellent first book
  By A183QNS5RYXL1X on 2000-10-31
  I bought this book for my son when he was 8 months old and he instantly fell in love with it. Not only do we sit and read it together, but I have found him sitting quietly alone turning the pages, mezmorized. I make the animal noises when reading which he has started to imitate (he's 1yr. now). The book is not only educational and fun, but repetitive which is calming to him when he is upset (I've learned that I don't always have to have to book with me for him to reep it's benefits). This book should be part of every child's library.
  
  
• Perfect Combination of Text & Picture! Baby is Mesmerized, Mom & Dad Love It!
  By A2WCA2GRF78DWN on 2006-06-01
  I received BROWN BEAR, BROWN BEAR, WHAT DO YOU SEE? as a gift, and have been reading it to my 9 month old baby since he was a week or two old. It is one of his two favorite books, the other being THE VERY HUNGRY CATERPILLAR. We have a good friend whose baby is almost two, and he loves this book as much as my son.
  
  Before I had a child, Eric Carle's illustrations were not my style. I did not read any of his books as a child, and they did not call to me as an adult. I love them now, and I can see how they speak to my son. The red bird and the green frog illustrations are special favorites. My son will study these and other pictures in the book and run a finger over interesting parts of the pictures, such as the frog's feet.
  
  Bill Martin's text is lovely -- simple and poetically rhythmic. "Brown Bear, Brown Bear, what do you see? / I see a Red Bird looking at me. / Red Bird, Red Bird, what do you see?" and so on. Some animals are realistic colors, such as the brown bear, while others, such as the purple cat and the blue horse, are not.
  
  For my son, I read it straight through. For our two year old friend, we make it more interactive by asking him to make the sounds that the animals make. He loves that.
  
  Now that my son is older, we spend longer on the last pages, where all the animals, etc., are listed again, with a small picture of each. I can see that he is starting to associate sound with the picture because he will point to the red bird (or whatever) when I ask him if he sees it.
  
  It is such a mesmerizing little book that my husband and I occasionally quote it to each other and laugh. Hundreds of repetitions have made BROWN BEAR, BROWN BEAR, WHAT DO YOU SEE? a treasured old friend (rather than its going stale, as I would have expected). I am delighted to know that we will likely have another year or two of reading it to our son.
  
  BROWN BEAR, BROWN BEAR, WHAT DO YOU SEE? was a baby shower gift that has been much treasured at our house. If you are shopping for shower gifts for someone, I recommend this book highly. And if you are shopping for a board book for your own child, I would say it will be hard to do any better, based on our experience.
  
  
• Wonderful and engaging even for very little ones.
  By A12F5Q53JJ2H8S on 2006-06-09
  My daughter couldn't sit still to look at a book for more than 10 seconds till she discovered this book and the Sandra Boynton series. She is 17 months old now and absolutely loves "Brown Bear". The illustrations are unique and large so it's easy for her to focus. She wants us to read it to her every night and doesn't seem to tire of it.
  
  Highly recommended for all babies and toddlers.
  
  
• Great for small children
  By on 2007-11-28
  I started reading this book to my 16 month old brother. He sits quietly through the entire book - looking at each page. We even read it a couple times making all the animals sounds. No other book I've read to him consistently keeps his interest. A must for early readers!! And for kids of my age of 12 I recommend the serie of Why Some Cats are Rascals ( Book 3)
  
  
  
• A Timeless Favorite
  By AHVURCY08JDK6 on 2000-01-19
  My son received this book as a first birthday present. We started reading it then and are still reading it now that he's turning three. The rhymes in the book are sweet and appeal to toddlers. And the pictures are big and colorful. Great for helping to learn colors when they are a little older. We've enjoyed it immensely!
  
  
• A wonderful book for young children!
  By on 2000-01-22
  Our son got this book before he was 6 months old. It was by far his favorite and he loved it when we made all the noises of the animals as we read it to him. Now he is anxious to share the book with his baby brother. We also add this book to the baby gifts we give to our friends who are new parents! (Polar Bear, Polar Bear is a good book also, but Brown Bear will always be his favorite toddler book.)
  
  
• A favorite of my class of toddlers
  By on 1997-01-20
  Brown Bear is a favorite. The children in my class room ask for it to be read several times a day. They all come, sit and read the book with me. It is the best book any two year old could possible have. I have recommended it to all of the parents of my class. They said it was well worth the money. It is great because the rhythm, the way it is illistrated and the rhyming of the text. And an added plus is that it also teachs them colors and self identity. A MUST HAVE BOOK
  
  
• Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What do you see?
  By on 2000-01-07
  I babysit children and one of my two year old little girls brought this book from home one day and she had memorized every line of the book. She absolutely loves this book and so do I after she showed it to me. It's one that I added to my childrens book collection. It has wonderful illustrations.
  
  
• My daughter doesn't care for this book and neither do I.
  By on 2000-06-15
  Although I like the illustrations, in the words of my 7-year-old niece, this book is "Boring, boring, boring."

  Whenever I try to read it to my 10-month old daughter she takes the book from my hands and flings it across the room.

  As others have said this book is repetitive, instead of a rhyming book:

  "Brown bear, brown bear, what do you see? I see a _______ looking at me" over and over substituting a new animal each time. It ends with a teacher looking at a class full of children wearing animal masks. It was a good concept, but actually reading it is boring.

  The only book both of us hate more is Polar Bear, Polar Bear. But again, the illustrations are good there.

  If you'd like a couple of VERY NICE Eric Carle books, choose instead THE VERY HUNGRY CATIPILLAR (my daughter loves turning the food pages) or THE VERY BUSY SPIDER (my daughter's personal favorite - she loves it when I make the barnyard animal sounds).
  
  

• cute and simple
  By A2FWFJ9PV0OLXO on 2003-02-05
  This cute, simple book really sticks with you! It's repetative words, "brown bear, brown bear what do you see?" really hold the kids attention. Its simple pictures and simple words are prefect for little ones. It is also a great way to learn animals and colors but much cuter than one of the many color-oriented books out there. I also love that it is a board book so it doesn't get so beat up. I adore this book but a neighbor came over, read it to the kdis, and then said..."What is this? I could write this and draw those pictures!" Maybe so, but he didn't.
  
  
• Grudgingly, a classic...
  By A2QMRHJOWJSDOQ on 2003-05-28
  Much like the jazz song accompanying my worst nightmare, in which every band member plays something different all at the same time, seeing one of my twin daughters approach me out of the corner of my eye carrying "Brown Bear, Brown Bear" brings about a cold sweat and makes me want to reach for a tube of airplane glue and a warm lager. I originally checked this out of our local library for them in the hopes of temporarily weaning them off the glass teat world of Barney, Little People, and Kipper, but little did I realize they would take to it like flies to garbage, memorizing most of it within a few hours. Shortly thereafter, I tried to hide the book but it kept reappearing until the mere sight of it became about as welcome as Roger Clinton backstage at a Marilyn Manson concert. My selfish motives and petty complaining aside, "Brown Bear, Brown Bear" is full of colorful pictures, an easy-to-learn rhyming scheme and by its very nature is trance inducing to most kids under the age of 3. For that reason alone, it's a godsend.
  
  
• A classic to pair with Oso Pardo Oso Pardo
  By AZKGCE3LNX7WB on 2006-03-06
  As everyone points out, this book captivates young and old. I suggest pairing it with the Spanish version so that you and your child are quickly, easily, and in a fun way, learning a second language! Adding it to my Spanish classes, I read the Spanish version, then the English, then the Spanish again. Children from ages 2 and up learn colors, animals, and more! Along with another curriculum, you can't miss by using this great way to introduce your child to a second language! What a pleasure!
  
  Sra. Gose
  Author of Flip Flop Spanish: Ages 3-5: Level 1 & Flip Flop Spanish: Ages 3-5: Level 2
  
  
• Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See?
  By on 2000-01-02
  I love the sing-songy verse of the story, but more importantly, so does my 16-month old daughter! It teaches rhythm and rhyme while also teaching colors and animals. It's one of his best.
  
  
• Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What do You See?
  By on 1999-12-13
  This is my 13 month old baby's favorite book since he was a newborn. Everytime he sees it, he is ready to settle down and listen.
  
  
• Brown Bear, Brown Bear
  By A2RH1DRCP0173O on 2000-10-22
  My eighteen month old daughter absolutely loves this book! She has learned about animals and colors by reading this book. She brings me the book and says "read" and I love seeing her enjoying learning about new things. Her eyes light up when she can point and say "dog" and know that she is right. This is a wonderful book for any child.
  
  
• A Definite MUST BUY for newborns.
  By AQHY4XBRX9D4S on 2001-05-11
  My daughter has read several books to her newborn daughter since her birth. At age 6 weeks, my grand-daughter began to react positively to this book and coos and talks to it. It is the most amazing thing. She has two favorit pages and becomes visibly excited when they appear. If she sees the book on the sofa, she will even become distracted while nursing. I highly recommend this for all newborn mommies who believe in reading to their infants.
  
  
• Easy to read, teaches colors and new words...
  By A1W3DWRDBIGUGD on 2002-09-07
  This was the first story my daughter learned in Primary/Kindergarten. Each day the kids learned a new color and words for each page of the book. My child really enjoyed bringing home worksheets to show me what was happening in the story.

  After she learned the story, I bought the hardcover book to replace the well-worn worksheets that were getting very crumpled. This is truly my daughter's favorite book, and she loves reading it to her sister. Her reading skill has surpassed this level, yet she returns to it for the colorful illustrations, and to remember the joy she had in learning to read. This book rates 5 stars and your child will love the melodic tempo to its words as they learn to read.
  
  

• The Very Hungry Caterpillar
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• Polar Bear, Polar Bear, What Do You Hear?