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Book Review of The Very Hungry Bear (Hooked on Phonics, Bk 24)

The Very Hungry Bear (Hooked on Phonics, Bk 24)
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Helpful Score: 1


ISBN 1887942459 - Hooked on Phonics books are piling up here, so I thought I'd review my way through them. They turn out to be better than expected, this one more than the others so far.

Bear is hungry but there's no food in the house. He goes out looking for food and decides that catching a fish is too much work. Bear finds nuts inside a tree and is very happy - he has food without working to find it! After eating, he naps and after his nap, he discovers that his hat is missing. A search finds Squirrel using it as a boat! Squirrel agrees that he did take it from Bear's house, just like Bear took Squirrel's nuts from HIS house. The pair agree to ask, in the future, if they want something the other has.

Unusual among the HOP books I've read so far, this one has a message about stealing - without calling it stealing. Author Joan Nodset Lexau does a great job with the story. The text is easy for the Second Grade level it's meant for and it's just engaging enough to keep a kid reading. Illustrator Teri Weidner's images are fantastic, although a little too pastel for me. The illustrations are amusing and expressive and suit the text.

- AnnaLovesBooks