We're Going on a Bear Hunt: My Adventure Field Guide

Gr 2–4—An offshoot of an animated film by the same name, which is an expanded version of a picture book by Michael Rosen and Helen Oxenbury, which is, itself, an expansion of a campfire chant, this book is true to its derivative heritage. It features charming illustrations and occasional facts about the physical world, some of which are useful. The guide to clouds and the drawing of the phases of the moon are inviting and interesting, for example. However, many pages feature false categories, such as things found in the country (orchards, hills, fields, and shrubs). The section on animal tracks includes a few illustrations, but the section on scat does not. Leaves are discussed, but only three kinds are identified. Fairly delightful recipes dot the pages, but other activities are rather obvious, such as the suggestion to "pick apart a flower." This careless approach implies the natural world is not worth a closer look.