To hate We’re Going On A Bear Hunt

. . .And a big juicy pear. . .

@SweetnsourNZ my DS loves books by Sally Sutton, who I think is from NZ? There's one about a tractor, one about building a school and another about demolition. Lovely bright illustrations too.

Any others you recommend?

i cannot BEAR the stupid bloody bear hunt. it's so middle class and patronising says me. and the "we" grates. ooooh. "we". "we all love each other and are going to be middle class and wear boden boots and go on a romp looking for a bloody bear". "seeing as we paid the school fees and can't afford to go to legoland this weekend"

honestly it REALLY pisses me off. i work in a primary school and i refuse to read it. thankfully i've never had it requested. give me a Miffy book every time.

Yabvvu

Don't worry. They all say that (apart from the son of the poster who said the bear was sad because he wanted to eat the children 🤣).

Oh my goodness my little boy says this too, I worry about he’s going to fare once he gets to school he’s very sensitive 🫠

OK… I’ve just got tea everywhere laughing reading that! 🤣🤣🤣

Ah Shirley Hughes was a legend!

I tried to order “Dogger” online once, but kept getting blocked by the family filters!

At least his engine was nice and clean… 😜

When DD's were small we were extremely lucky to receive some Australian children's books. Sorry we don't know anyone in New Zealand so haven't had any. Possum Magic is one of my absolute favourites. We did try and return the favour and send the video of The Mousehole Cat. Any recommendations for my 3 year old DGC and I'll look them up on Amazon - thank you

For the PP who thought that Michael Rosen must have been exceptionally well connected to have it published - the truth is stranger than it first seems.

Before his author years got going, he achieved an entry level post writing and producing programmes at the BBC (that only very few people were awarded). He didn't progress into any other areas, applying and it looking promising, but then project directors u-turning with 'Ah, regretfully, we can't...' and eventually being encouraged to 'go freelance' (i.e. no employment).

The Observer included his name among others, in an exclusive in 1985, allegedly as being someone with a marked file with a sign meaning 'too left wing' to go further: MI5 secretly controls hiring firing BBC staff, Observer 18 August 1985 | Clarion

In New Zealand we have some really awesome children's books. Maybe look some of those up on Amazon. I never got unstood the popularity of a lot of children's books. My youngest got obsessed with Where the Wild Things Are. Which wasn't too bad.

I think when Judith Kerr wrote Tiger Who Came to Tea she WAS stuck at home doing the childcare and housework – if it’s stereotyped it’s because that was her life and a lot of women’s lives. No wonder the mum looks so despairing and then so happy at the trip out for sausages and chips and ice cream.

I love the book and Judith Kerr; I remember seeing an interview with her where she was very frank about how boring it is, looking after small children. She used to be last one standing at her publisher’s annual party, apparently.

I love Bear Hunt too. I’d take it any day over Julia Donaldson. But our best books are I Am Bat and anything by Emily Gravett.

I think this is highly likely - I believe Judith Kerr had to give up a much loved job as a writer at the BBC to be a sahp- because them was the times.
If you read her other books (when Hitler stole Pink Rabbit and the adult book A small person far a way) she had a great deal of trauma in her personal life - the adult book describes visiting her mother who has over dosed and is not expected to live - her father also committed suicide.

She initially wrote the Tiger came to tea for her daughter- and was later persuaded to publish it… I see it as a quiet protest about what her life had become.. while daddy gets to be all important - and drink his beer.

The prose is super simple but can really engage children at a certain point…
and yes I have given this one too much thought!

My DS' class had a term focused on this book in Reception. At parents evening, his teacher said she wanted to show me a specific piece of work he'd done.

They were asked to write about why the bear might've felt sad at the end, and she said every single child wrote that he'd wanted to make friends with the children etc... then she slid DS' book over to me, stifling a giggle.

He'd written: "I think the bear was sad because he was hungry and didn't get to eat the children." 😅

Thomas nearly made me lose my mind.
Loved the Hairy McClarey books—brilliant!
the one book series that nearly made me lose my mind were the kids reading books Biff and Chip. Every word was agony, and believe me, young kids can make it last a long time

Yes - exactly! And is the stripey tabby cat that they pass in the street actually the tiger?! I loved their 1960s outfits which are just as I remember my mum dressing herself and me then. I also liked the contemplative expression on the mum's face. It's a lovely book.

Is this written by Michael Rosen? I find his writing style really odd and chaotic, but it's not for adults, so that is probably why.

@Stolenyouth When mummy turned into a monster is fantastic! I related to it so much - the images, the 'I used to be a nice person', all of it.

I really explored it with my kids as I thought it helped them see that mums are human and get cross too! I love that the kids try and help her feel better by clearing up (the mess they made in the first place!)

I love bear hunt too - but also remember it at 70s primary school as a chant. We would have actions for it all.

🤣 I loved that one too. I used to do a pointy finger to go with 'I don't like your attitude' the children thought it was hilarious and nobody complained.

Yabu..best sort of adventure were these sort of imaginative ones with my dad.

We also sang/chanted a version of this at primary school in the early 80s. I don't recall guns and bullets, and I can't remember if we were hunting lions or bears but I do remember that I hated it. Not sure if it was connected to me being ND - diagnosed as an adult - but the chanting back and forth between the teacher and kids and the increasing volume and sense of tension (we're not scared, we're not scared) followed by the chase and panic at the end - I guess it was sensory overload and it genuinely used to make me feel sick and terrified and I dreaded it happening. Couldn't understand why everyone else was having so much fun.

Have always avoided the Bear Hunt book because of this. Hadn't realised it is actually so different.

I don’t mind Bear Hunt. The ‘classic’ kids book I absolutely hate is Where The Wild Things Are, absolute shite

I know what you mean - it kind of ruins the story as a book for little kids but makes it much more interesting and provokes discussion with bigger kids I guess. Damn artists always trying to make things more interesting! 😁

Gosh, @WitcheryDivine , thanks for providing that link. It's really, really interesting and explains a lot that didn't quite work in my head. I hope everyone reads it. P.S. I still feel sad for the bear though and I think it was a wrong choice of Helen Oxenbury to do it (and a bit self indulgent).