Little One by Jo Weaver

From the Publisher:

Join a new bear cub and his mother as they discover the world together, through every season.
Spring is here and new life is stirring. There is so much for Big Bear to teach her new cub as they step out into the forest. Together they eat, swim, fish, and play as one season becomes the next. With Big Bear’s help, Little One grows more and more confident, until winter comes once more and it’s time to head home.
With gentle text and stunning black and white illustrations, Jo Weaver reveals the wonder of nature, the first steps of independence, and the strength of parental love.

Description:

The gorgeous charcoal illustrations in Little One immediately draw the reader into the natural world of bears.  Even the black/white/grey palette is engrossing as it switches between white pages with black illustrations and mostly black pages with white outlines.  The text is sparse but effective as we follow the mama bear and her cub through the seasons after waking from hibernation – spring – summer – fall – and winter when they return to their den.  The cub is shown to subtly grow larger as the year progresses. This is a beautiful story – one that teaches of the rhythms of the seasons as well as the yearly life cycle of bears.  Children are learning about the environment while they enjoy this quiet but absorbing book.

My Experience:

Our family is in LOVE with this book!  It is one that is requested over and over.  We have been talking a lot about what hibernation means.  Coincidentally, many of the forest areas around where we live are currently closed due to high bear activity (berry time) and this has been on the news.  My 3 year old fully understood what this meant and referenced the book when she heard the news broadcast.  I was impressed.  She asked if the bears were getting ready to hibernate by eating lots. I highly recommend this book as a gift for any gender of toddler.  A wonderful addition to any library.

     Likes:

• understated, yet powerful illustrations
• clear text – age appropriate vocabulary
• book that honours the environment and natural world.  It is presented without embellishment

     Dislikes:

• NONE!

Why/How Use it with kids:

• as a primer for discussing bears – habitat, hibernation, feeding, cubs with mothers, etc.
• discussion of importance of wild lands for bears to live, roam, eat, etc.
• create a map of the habitat explored by the bears.  What type of environment do the bears seem to need to live?
• create a story that shares the life cycle of another type of animal.  Where would they live?  Why?

About the Author:

Jo Weaver worked in international development and as a support worker at a center for the homeless before turning to illustration. She has an MA in children’s book illustration from the Cambridge School of Art. Little One is her first picture book. She lives in England with her young family.

~E

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