To hate We’re Going On A Bear Hunt

[Shabbalabadingdong]

Just that really, I HATE it. I know it’s a children’s classic but whenever DD picks it to read my heart sinks. It’s so repetitive (which I get is the point) and annoying. It’s a metaphor for something, god knows what. The dad is just massively irresponsible, I’m surprised he doesn’t take them trudging across railway lines and MOD firing ranges. It’s just bollocks.

My son likes to ac we’re going on a bear hunt out… at the park.
I used to read it to him when he was 1-3 and I thought he’d forgotten about it.
Nope they started reading it at school so now it’s back in rotation at bed time

This thread appeared for me approximately 20 seconds after reading this book 😂 I don’t hate it, but I am so bored of it and the repetitiveness!

As s retired Early Years teacher who read Bear Hunt thousands of times over 30 years I still love it. You have to put some energy and rythmn into it and the children join in. Mild peril has always been part of children's storiesthey used to shriek IT'S A BEAR and go back through the cave, the mud etc. as quickly as they could.

I also like The Tiger Who Came to Tea and, although Sophie's Mummy was a bit pathetic, I always asked children what their Mum would have done. They came up with some great ideas.

Both Bear Hunt and Tiger take me back to being 6 years old inventing adventures in the park… the little patch of hilly grass becomes a mountain, the stream is a torrid river, a teddy bear is an actual bear, the local ginger cat who’s always begging is a real tiger, and going to a cafe at 5pm is basically the Oscars.

I’ve lost that imagination as an adult, it’s nice to be able to use those stories when I’m playing with my toddler. Taking her on a bear hunt around the garden and so on.

Also the illustrations are lovely.

Luckily bear hunt is one of my husbands favourites so I am rarely asked to read it to them 😂 especially as "Daddy does the noises better than you". Too right he does.

They also think the bear looks sad on the last page so he said he's going home for his vegetarian pizza and they think that's hilarious for some reason 🤣

Got four chances to read this to each of my children as they all grew up. Absolutely loved it😍

Shenmen you did make me chuckle with “Thomas the fucking boring tank engine” 🤣🤣🤣

I read something by him where he recognizes it’s a folk song and apparently the inside cover of the paperback says “words adapted by Michael Rosen” or something, but that wasn’t printed in the board book for some reason.

I love it. I often read it to myself just for pleasure. Sometimes I sit in bed with DH and we read it together and how we laugh.

It is a great book and has a lovely rhythm to it.

I hated the Tiger who Came to Tea. Then someone suggested reading it as a story mummy made up to daddy because she couldn't be bothered to cook or clean and I found it more tolerable.

It is a bit repetitive, but now my dc are older I use it as a metaphor for life - going through the hard bits to get to the other side of said obstacle. Not perfect but seems to work

Yes, it was nice the first time I read it but not for the 150,000th time. I did get really fed up with it.

Actually didn't mind Bear Hunt - when I first read it I hated the metre but DC2 in particular loved the mild peril aspect where they have to run back home and shut the door.

+1 for Thomas the Tank Engine being a dick - I hated those and used to dread being asked for them. So boring and all the trains were annoying.

The repetitiveness is kind of the point, so crucial to early language learning. 2.5 DS loves it and can often be heard in his cot "reading" it to himself. We often reference it / quote it and act it out when we're having little adventures outside too.

Its actually an American camp song / chant. Michael Rosen just added the last bit about running home and going upstairs. (Which is arguably the weakest part of the story, but I still like the guy.)

i loved the dog in bear hunt

No! Bear Hunt is a work of genius. Always used to read the reverse journey very fast and panicky. It’s a bit of mild peril with lots of opportunities for making silly noises.

Nest ever though was a niche one called When mum turned in to a monster. Now THAT is deep. Like the Large Family it’s great for tired parents to feel seen. 😁

No way

Wasn’t the tiger who came to tea written by an author who grew up in occupied Germany and would have visits from the SS, who would search the house and take what they want and her mum had to bend over backwards to be nice to them, it’s a child making a scary situation into a game in her imagination?

We used to sing it in school (as a teacher) before the book came out, Michael Rosen adapted it. He has also said he didn't write the bit about the bear being sad at the end, that was added by the illustrator but the children always love it.

Omg OP, totally agree. The phrasing and makes me irrationally angry.

We did a version at school before the book came out, but it was spoken , not sung and called Lion Hunt. "We're going on a Lion Hunt. Want to come? Yeah! " then "Uh-Oh! River! Splish splash" and so on.

I hated Bear Hunt. Can I add My Cat Likes To Hide In Boxes and The Giant Jam Sandwich as books that can be read again, and again, and...

Ive got a soft spot for going through a bear hunt.
My DC loved it, when I wanted to get them to hurry up walking to pre school we used to recite it a DS used to do the actions.
Lived in quiet non judgemental village as we probably looked a bit mad!

That's a weird place for your mind to go.

I love the Paper Dolls. It's about love and loss and grief and how we can still have memories of the people and things we loved. I think it's a beautiful story