March 1, 1999
PreS-Gr 1-An easy-to-read description of different types of bears and their daily activities. Beginning with black bears, Milton explains how they hibernate and awaken hungry from their long, winter sleep. Using simple sentence structure and repetitive vocabulary, the author delineates the differences between brown bears and polar bears. Santoro's watercolor artwork consists of detailed action drawings. Some illustrations portray the tremendous size of the creatures and show them with snarling teeth, while others show their playfulness in a beehive or with a backyard birthday cake. Extra-large, 20-point typeface is perfect for "cub" readers. Diana Helmer's Brown Bears (Rosen, 1997) imparts much more information for those ready for the next level of competence. All in all, a satisfactory addition to nonfiction collections.-Blair Christolon, Prince William Public Library System, Manassas, VA