Fans of Bill Martin Jr. and Eric Carle's
Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See? and
Polar Bear, Polar Bear, What Do You Hear? will be delighted to see another title in this lilting call and response series. Much like their earlier picture books,
Panda Bear features a string of fine feathered (and furry and scaly) friends watching over each other. In this book, however, all the animals are endangered, from a swinging spider monkey to a strutting macaroni penguin (kids will get a kick out of that name!) to a splashing sea lion. Carle’s trademark tissue paper collages will be as familiar--and welcome--as the text ("Whooping Crane, Whooping Crane, what do you see?" "I see a black panther strolling by me."); young readers will quickly get the hang of the rhythm and join right in. The book concludes on a hopeful note, with a dreaming child seeing the ten f! eatured animals "all wild and free--/ that’s what I see!" Martin includes a note on endangered species that may spark concern and interest in older readers--our hope for these disappearing creatures. (Ages 3 to 8)
--Emilie Coulter
--This text refers to the
hardcover edition.
PreSchool-Grade 1-While some adults may sigh at the similarity of this title to Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See? (1983) and Polar Bear, Polar Bear, What Do You Hear? (1995, both Holt), children will be thrilled. A water buffalo, a green sea turtle, a black panther, and other animals answer that familiar call, "What do you see?" Readers view all these creatures and more, a treat considering that the 10 animals featured are all endangered species and therefore rare sights. The book closes wistfully with a dreaming child who sees the animals all "wild and free." Names like "macaroni penguin" contribute to some awkwardness in the text's rhythm, but the bright collage images and lilting language bring the animals to life on the page-soaring, swinging, or even strutting. Opening with a helpful note on the importance of animal protection, this title will make a perfect segue into conversations about endangered species.
Julie Roach, Malden Public Library, MACopyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc.
--This text refers to the
hardcover edition.
PreS-Gr. 2. In this book, Martin and Carle change the focus of their classic
Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See? to endangered species. Using deceptively simple repetitive rhyme, double-page spreads lead from one animal to the next, "Red Wolf, Red Wolf, / what do you see? / I see a whooping crane / flying by me." The pictures, featuring animals strolling, splashing, and soaring, are brilliant lessons in the application of color, shape, form, and texture. Carle's use of negative space and of sculptural line conveys not only the essence of each animal but also the energy of its movement. The book ends with a dreaming child who sees all the animals: "all wild and free--that's what I see!" A fine read-aloud with a subtle, yet clear, message.
GraceAnne DeCandidoCopyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved
--This text refers to the
hardcover edition.
Review
“Another standout from the creators of a line of perennial favorites.” ―Publishers Weekly, starred review
“Even after more than 35 years, [Carle's] style still radiates the same remarkable elemental beauty.” ―The New York Times Book Review
“Carle's trademark paint and cut-out style and Martin's rhythmic and repetitive text full of animal observations engages little ones and keeps them turning the pages.” ―San Francisco Chronicle
“Carle's use of negative space and of sculptural line conveys not only the essence of each animal but also the energy of its movement. A fine read-aloud with a subtle, yet clear, message.” ―Booklist
“The bright collage images and lilting language bring the animals to life on the page.” ―School Library Journal
--This text refers to the
hardcover edition.
About the Author
Bill Martin, Jr. (1916-2004) was an elementary-school principal, teacher, writer, and poet. His more than 300 books, among them the bestselling classics
Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See?;
Polar Bear, Polar Bear, What Do You Hear?;
Panda Bear, Panda Bear, What Do You See?; and
Chicka Chicka Boom Boom, are a testament to his ability to speak directly to children. Martin held a doctoral degree in early childhood education. Born in Kansas, he worked as an elementary-school principal in Chicago before moving to New York City, where he worked in publishing developing innovative reading programs for schools. After several years, he devoted himself full-time to writing his children’s books. He lived in New York until 1993, when he moved to Texas. He lived in the east Texas woods, near the town of Commerce, until he passed away in 2004.
Eric Carle is one of America's leading children's book illustrators. Born in the United States, he spent some time in Germany where he studied at the Academy of Applied Art in Stuttgart. His work has won many awards and has been published in more than a dozen countries around the world. He is author and illustrator of
The Very Hungry Caterpillar and illustrator of Bill Martin, Jr.'s
Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See?
--This text refers to the
board_book edition.
![Panda Bear, Panda Bear, What Do You See? (Brown Bear and Friends) by [Bill Martin Jr., Eric Carle]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/51HEop+8-8L._SX260_.jpg)
