Teddy: The Remarkable Tale of a President, a Cartoonist, a Toymaker and a Bear

PreS-Gr 2—Sage uses a mix of mainly fact and a bit of speculation to explain how teddy bears got their name and became such a popular toy. President Theodore Roosevelt, also referred to as Teddy or T.R., went hunting during a stay in Missouri, but was unable to shoot a bear. His hosts then found a cub, tied it to a tree, and encouraged him to take a shot. Feeling that it was not sportsmanlike, he declined. At this very time, the editor-in-chief of the Washington Post asked cartoonist Clifford Berryman to create a cartoon that would touch the heart and speak to everyone, and have it ready for the very next day. When a coffee boy told Berryman the story of T.R. that had just come over the newswire, Berryman stayed up creating a cartoon of a caring T.R. refusing to shoot the bear. The rest, as they say, is history. When Mr. and Mrs. Michtom, candy store owners in Brooklyn, saw the cartoon, Mrs. Michtom created a toy bear that her husband placed in the store window with a sign that said: "Teddy's Bear." The toy became so popular, they opened a factory to keep up with the demand. This story is told simply and is accompanied by colorful illustrations that reflect a bygone era. An author's note explains which parts of the story are fiction, and includes a copy of Berryman's original cartoon, a photo of one of the first teddy bears, and a 1950 advertisement for the "original" style bear.