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Bear Family #1
Peace at Last
The hour was late and Mr Bear was tired. But he could not sleep - however he tried and wherever he tried.
SNORE, SNORE went Mrs Bear.
TICK-TOCK, TICK-TOCK went the clock.
Would he never get to sleep?
The familiar noises, repetition and beautiful illustrations make this delightful picture book an all-time favourite with children and adults everywhere.
SNORE, SNORE went Mrs Bear.
TICK-TOCK, TICK-TOCK went the clock.
Would he never get to sleep?
The familiar noises, repetition and beautiful illustrations make this delightful picture book an all-time favourite with children and adults everywhere.
26 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1980
26 people are currently reading
1196 people want to read
About the author
Jill Murphy
88 books342 followersJill Murphy was a London-born English children's author, best known for The Worst Witch series and the Large Family picture books. She has been described as "one of the most engaging writers and illustrators for children in the land."
Jill Murphy was born in London and attended the Ursuline Convent in Wimbledon which, together with the boarding school stories she enjoyed reading, provided much of the material and inspiration Miss Cackle's Academy in the The Worst Witch, which she started when she was 15. She put the book on hold as she attended both Chelsea and Croydon Art Schools, but continued to write it whilst living in a village in Togo, West Africa for a year and then whilst working as a nanny back at home. The book was published when Jill turned 24 and proved an instant success. However, Jill continued working as a nanny until the publication of The Worst Witch Strikes Again prompted her to devote herself to full-time writing. The Worst Witch stories have become some of the most outstandingly successful titles on the Young Puffin paperback list and have sold more than 3 million copies. They were also made into a major ITV series. She was also well known for her picture books and was commended in the 1980 Kate Greenaway Medal for Peace at Last. A Quiet Night In was shortlisted for the same medal in 1994. She was perhaps best known for the very popular Mr and Mrs Large picture books, which detail the domestic chaos of an elephant family. Five Minute's Peace won the 1987 Parents Magazine Best Books for Babies Award, as well as being shortlisted for the 1986 Children's Book Award. All in One Piece was highly commended for the 1987 Kate Greenaway Award and shortlisted for the 1987 Children's Book Award. The Last Noo-noo won the 0-5 category of the 1995 Smarties Book Prize and in the same year was shortlisted for the English 4-11 Outstanding Children's Book of the Year, going on to win the 1996 Sheffield Children's Book Award. It won the 1996 Gateshead Gold Award. In the same year it was adapted as a play and performed at the Polka Theatre, London.
Jill Murphy was born in London and attended the Ursuline Convent in Wimbledon which, together with the boarding school stories she enjoyed reading, provided much of the material and inspiration Miss Cackle's Academy in the The Worst Witch, which she started when she was 15. She put the book on hold as she attended both Chelsea and Croydon Art Schools, but continued to write it whilst living in a village in Togo, West Africa for a year and then whilst working as a nanny back at home. The book was published when Jill turned 24 and proved an instant success. However, Jill continued working as a nanny until the publication of The Worst Witch Strikes Again prompted her to devote herself to full-time writing. The Worst Witch stories have become some of the most outstandingly successful titles on the Young Puffin paperback list and have sold more than 3 million copies. They were also made into a major ITV series. She was also well known for her picture books and was commended in the 1980 Kate Greenaway Medal for Peace at Last. A Quiet Night In was shortlisted for the same medal in 1994. She was perhaps best known for the very popular Mr and Mrs Large picture books, which detail the domestic chaos of an elephant family. Five Minute's Peace won the 1987 Parents Magazine Best Books for Babies Award, as well as being shortlisted for the 1986 Children's Book Award. All in One Piece was highly commended for the 1987 Kate Greenaway Award and shortlisted for the 1987 Children's Book Award. The Last Noo-noo won the 0-5 category of the 1995 Smarties Book Prize and in the same year was shortlisted for the English 4-11 Outstanding Children's Book of the Year, going on to win the 1996 Sheffield Children's Book Award. It won the 1996 Gateshead Gold Award. In the same year it was adapted as a play and performed at the Polka Theatre, London.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 213 reviews
August 8, 2019
3.5★
An early Jill Murphy that I hadn't read before.
This book is witty, sweet and charming. It probably would have been 4★, except I know that Ms Murphy can and has done better - both with the text and illustrations. I'm a big fan of the Large Family series. But it gave me one knowing laugh out loud moment and I'm sure most small children will love it!
https://wordpress.com/view/carolshess...
An early Jill Murphy that I hadn't read before.
This book is witty, sweet and charming. It probably would have been 4★, except I know that Ms Murphy can and has done better - both with the text and illustrations. I'm a big fan of the Large Family series. But it gave me one knowing laugh out loud moment and I'm sure most small children will love it!
https://wordpress.com/view/carolshess...
September 28, 2021
Who knew there are many distracting noises at night?
That was the fate that poor Mr Bear found. From a snoring wife, to a ticking clock.
Another great childhood classic that I loved revisiting with my daughter.
Seeing Mr. Bear exhaustion in the wonderful illustrations were so relatable!
That was the fate that poor Mr Bear found. From a snoring wife, to a ticking clock.
Another great childhood classic that I loved revisiting with my daughter.
Seeing Mr. Bear exhaustion in the wonderful illustrations were so relatable!
June 8, 2018
For fun again.
August 29, 2011
This book contains some brilliant onomatopoeic words such as 'DRIP, DRIP... went the leaky kitchen tap' and 'CUCKOO! CUCKOO!' I feel that reading this aloud with the children could open up so many discussions about onomatopoeia. I think this might be a good topic for KS2 children.
Essentially this is a story about Mr Bear, Mrs Bear and Baby Bear and it tells the tale of poor Mr Bear and his constant plight to get some sleep on a really noisy night in the Bear household, garden, car etc…
Jill Murphy uses wonderful illustrations to tell the story. Jill Murphy’s books also include On the Way Home and Whatever Next which are both brilliant also.
Essentially this is a story about Mr Bear, Mrs Bear and Baby Bear and it tells the tale of poor Mr Bear and his constant plight to get some sleep on a really noisy night in the Bear household, garden, car etc…
Jill Murphy uses wonderful illustrations to tell the story. Jill Murphy’s books also include On the Way Home and Whatever Next which are both brilliant also.
March 13, 2012
A picture book about all the sounds at night that keep Mr Bear awake, from his wife's snoring to a dripping tap. The story follows Mr Bear as he tries to find somewhere quiet to sleep.
A good book for EYFS if you want to discuss sounds and highlight the importance of getting a good nights sleep. I read it in nursery and the children got really involved in the story, joining in with making the noises and trying to guess what sounds would keep Mr Bear awake in each location. Lots of opportunity for discussions about loud and quiet as well.
A good book for EYFS if you want to discuss sounds and highlight the importance of getting a good nights sleep. I read it in nursery and the children got really involved in the story, joining in with making the noises and trying to guess what sounds would keep Mr Bear awake in each location. Lots of opportunity for discussions about loud and quiet as well.
August 5, 2014
You know those nights when you can't sleep? Every noise just seems to be extra loud and you end up lying wide awake, just listening?
Well that is how this book starts. Mr Bear is trying to sleep but noises keep disturbing him so he goes place to place to sleep for the night with less and less success.
Amusing till the end. And any parent can relate to its ending so it will likely bring a chuckle or smile to your day. This would probably be perfect on those nights the children just can't seem to sleep!
Well that is how this book starts. Mr Bear is trying to sleep but noises keep disturbing him so he goes place to place to sleep for the night with less and less success.
Amusing till the end. And any parent can relate to its ending so it will likely bring a chuckle or smile to your day. This would probably be perfect on those nights the children just can't seem to sleep!
October 20, 2010
Meh. It was alright for me. The bears trying to find a peaceful place to sleep in a noisy house was rather humorous, but also not especially captivating. I liked Jill Murphy's illustrations of witches and cats better (see "The Worst Witch") but these are still pleasant and I am glad she included a hedgehog in the garden ;-)
September 7, 2011
"Oh no!! I can't sleep here" are words I hear again and again from children imitating this story book. Filled with colourful pictures and simple sentences, it creates a perfect story for circle time. Onomatopoeia within the story I find is very effective in grabbing childrens attention and also enabling them to join in with the sounds in the story. Alliteration such as "Tick, Tock,Tick, Tock! went the living room clock" within this story book alongside repitition and rhyme means children are exposed to many different language techniques that enables them to develop their own literacy skills. I remember this story book also being a favourite from my childhood mainly because I had many activities which supported the story such as role play which as a child was extremely entertaining. I definitely would recommend the book and believe that different props and activities could help to support children in all aspects of their language development.
October 2, 2011
I really enjoyed reading this book, and remember reading it as a child myself.
Poor Mr bear cannot sleep. He attempts to find somewhere more peaceful, however is distracted by all the different noises that occur throughout the night. After many attempts Mr bear finally finds somewhere peaceful to sleep, however is then woken up by the alarm clock!
I love the authors use of words representing sounds, such as 'TICK TOCK, TICK TOCK'. This is an enjoyable book with great illustrations. This book would be perfect for a teacher to read to a reception class.
Poor Mr bear cannot sleep. He attempts to find somewhere more peaceful, however is distracted by all the different noises that occur throughout the night. After many attempts Mr bear finally finds somewhere peaceful to sleep, however is then woken up by the alarm clock!
I love the authors use of words representing sounds, such as 'TICK TOCK, TICK TOCK'. This is an enjoyable book with great illustrations. This book would be perfect for a teacher to read to a reception class.
September 5, 2011
Peace at Last is a funny book as Mr Bear explores many avenues in order to get some sleep, however the noises around the house keep him awake. Murphy makes good use of onomatopoeia as the words that represent sounds keep the reader engaged and make the book more exciting. Sadly when Mr Bear does nodd off to sleep the alarm goes off, which results to Mr Bear not getting any sleep at all. However he does get a lovely, hot cup of tea.
January 20, 2019
Peace at last is about a bear that can not fall asleep. The book has a repetitive plot. The illustrations in the book are simple and illustrate the narrative well.
The book is full of punctuation which could be used to introduce children to writing sentences and structuring their work.
The book is full of punctuation which could be used to introduce children to writing sentences and structuring their work.
December 25, 2020
As a child this was one of my favourite stories. I loved reading about the Large family, with its long-suffering mother who just needs a break! The illustrations are adorable too.
December 6, 2012
Peace At Last, written by Jill Murphy, is about how Mr Bear could not sleep because of different noises. He started in bed with Mrs Bear but he could not sleep because of her snoring. He then went to different rooms in the house and even outside to car to try to get some peace and quiet, for him to get to sleep. He was still kept up by different noises such as the clock going tick-tock, the cat going meoooww and the humming of the fridge. Finally when Mr Bear decided to go back to bed and fell asleep, his alarm clock went off and woke him up.
It is a fantastic book and I very much enjoy this book. It has repetition and familiar noises that children will recognise and they can join in with the story. It is a great way for children to think about what they do before they go to bed to try and get to sleep.
An appropriate age range for this book would be between 4-7 year olds. It is a fantastic book to read and has fantastic illustrations to keep the children engaged. The book can be used as a class book to be read by the teacher and could also be used as an independent book as the pictures give you a fantastic idea of what is happening in the story. However I feel that it could be used with higher years as it makes good use of onomatopoeia words and can be used when learning about this. This book will never get old and as well as been loved by children it is loved by adults too.
It is a fantastic book and I very much enjoy this book. It has repetition and familiar noises that children will recognise and they can join in with the story. It is a great way for children to think about what they do before they go to bed to try and get to sleep.
An appropriate age range for this book would be between 4-7 year olds. It is a fantastic book to read and has fantastic illustrations to keep the children engaged. The book can be used as a class book to be read by the teacher and could also be used as an independent book as the pictures give you a fantastic idea of what is happening in the story. However I feel that it could be used with higher years as it makes good use of onomatopoeia words and can be used when learning about this. This book will never get old and as well as been loved by children it is loved by adults too.
July 21, 2020
#85 of 2020
Wonderful bedtime story for children.
Wonderful bedtime story for children.
September 26, 2017
Every time I have read this, I've found the children have enjoyed it! It allows for lot's of opportunities for the children to join in/ ask questions and atc out experiences. I found it worked okay as a planning base or activities (2 year old room, nursery).
December 28, 2018
This is a lovely story which has lots of potential to be linked to drama and arts lessons.
October 2, 2019
Absolutely adore this book and I think all the sounds and noises it features would be great for phonics / a drama lesson.
May 12, 2020
Year 1 book of the week.
June 20, 2022
My daughter has great fun doing the sound effects for everything.
March 10, 2023
I can understand where Mr Bear was coming from! Sometimes it's hard to get to sleep. Sophia enjoyed looking at the pictures of the bears.
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March 3, 2017This is a very sweet book about a father bear who can't get to sleep because of all the noise, he tries all the rooms in the house and outside but he cannot get to sleep anywhere. The first page is the only page with a colour picture and writing. We can see the house framed in a rectangle, helping us identify the scene. The angular lines of the path automatically draw our eyes to the house, which is clearly the focal point. For the rest of the book the left hand side page has writing and a black sketch and the right hand side has the colour photo. The sketches seem to be depicting the movement of the characters, when Mrs Bear is snoring and keeping Mr Bear up, the Sketch sees him looking at her, similar on the following page, the writing is talking about Mr Bear sleeping in baby bears room but he's awake too. The colour picture shows that, but the sketch shows his transition from his room to the baby's room; his movements. We are generally on eye level with Mr Bear, which means we are following his journey with him. We are feeling his tiredness and frustration at not being able to sleep. All the scenes are filled with other things, animals, colours, moonlight. The picture is organised but full, the character is safe. The end page is similar to the first with both writing and a colour picture. Mr Bear is on the far left, he seems to have finished his journey, however not a particularly successful one!!
December 30, 2024
All the nostalgia. A favourite childhood read of mine.
August 5, 2020
So sweet! My kids loved this book when they were young and I still remember it by heart.
November 9, 2013
Poor Mr Bear is trying to get to sleep but lots of sounds are keeping him awake ‘snore-snore, drip-drip, tick-tock’. He moves around the house and even tries to get to sleep outside but everywhere there is a noise that disturbs him. Mr Bear goes back into the house and Mrs Bear has stopped snoring ‘Peace at Last’ he says. However, just as he gets to sleep ‘Brr-Brr’ his alarm clock goes off and wakes him up all over again. Luckily, Mrs Bear comes upstairs with a nice cup of tea for him.
What I like most about this story is the onomatopoeia ‘meow-meow,’ as it brings the story to life and enables the to audience to experience all the sounds Poor Mr Bear is hearing. Along with this, there are beautiful pictures that illustrate Mr Bears journey through the house and outside as he tries to find somewhere quiet to sleep. All of this makes the story very exciting and engaging to an audience.
The repetition in the story ‘ Oo no said Mr Bear, I can’t stand this!’ and the rhyming pattern allows children to chorally join in with telling the story. It also let’s children who are EAL to be included too as repeated exposure is key to them picking up vocabulary. All of these are literary techniques that help to develop children’s understanding of the world around them and to learn new vocabulary.
The story even has a funny ending that will amuse the children because as soon as Mr Bear gets to sleep he is woken up again because his alarm goes off. The reason I like this, is because it means that the children will remember the book and develop a love for reading.
Peace at Last is a good storybook for carpet time at school. It can then be used as a basis for a literacy activity in EYFS. The children can investigate the sounds using their voices and instruments and try to match them to the noises in the book. Higher up in the school in KS1 it can be used to introduce the concept of onomatopoeia and as a model for the children to include it in their story writing.
Furthermore, it can be used to build early comprehension skills through discussing the book and predicting the next sound that keeps Mr Bear awake. This can then built on for drama so the children act out the story or music because they can create the sounds. Finally it can be used to get the children to discuss and think about their bedtime routine before they go to sleep.
I give Peace at Last 5 stars because I can still remember reading it when I was little and I love the joy it brings to a class when it is read to them.
What I like most about this story is the onomatopoeia ‘meow-meow,’ as it brings the story to life and enables the to audience to experience all the sounds Poor Mr Bear is hearing. Along with this, there are beautiful pictures that illustrate Mr Bears journey through the house and outside as he tries to find somewhere quiet to sleep. All of this makes the story very exciting and engaging to an audience.
The repetition in the story ‘ Oo no said Mr Bear, I can’t stand this!’ and the rhyming pattern allows children to chorally join in with telling the story. It also let’s children who are EAL to be included too as repeated exposure is key to them picking up vocabulary. All of these are literary techniques that help to develop children’s understanding of the world around them and to learn new vocabulary.
The story even has a funny ending that will amuse the children because as soon as Mr Bear gets to sleep he is woken up again because his alarm goes off. The reason I like this, is because it means that the children will remember the book and develop a love for reading.
Peace at Last is a good storybook for carpet time at school. It can then be used as a basis for a literacy activity in EYFS. The children can investigate the sounds using their voices and instruments and try to match them to the noises in the book. Higher up in the school in KS1 it can be used to introduce the concept of onomatopoeia and as a model for the children to include it in their story writing.
Furthermore, it can be used to build early comprehension skills through discussing the book and predicting the next sound that keeps Mr Bear awake. This can then built on for drama so the children act out the story or music because they can create the sounds. Finally it can be used to get the children to discuss and think about their bedtime routine before they go to sleep.
I give Peace at Last 5 stars because I can still remember reading it when I was little and I love the joy it brings to a class when it is read to them.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 15, 2012
“Peace at last” is another one of my favourites as a child and is a great interactive book. The story follows a family of bears who go off to bed but Mr Bear struggles to sleep as Mrs Bear starts to snore he then makes his way to various rooms around the house trying to get some sleep but there are always noises keeping him awake from the kitchen the tap “drip, drip” to the clock in the living room “tick-tock”. Mr Bear leaves each room saying "Oh NO!", "I can't stand THIS." Mr Bear then proceeds to another room to find some peace eventually ending up outside trying to find peace and quiet in the car.
This is a great onomatopoeic book and follows a repetitive rhyming pattern. Children are eager to interact with the sounds each object makes and repeat the words "Oh NO!", "I can't stand THIS" Every time Mr Bear can’t sleep. I would use this book for Early years and key stage 1 children. I think it could be used in a variety of lessons. During music the children could try and create familiar noises which are made in different rooms around the house or act out sequences during drama. The book could be used to teach children to notice different sounds that go on around them heightening their senses. Children could begin to write their own pieces of onomatopoeic work.
This is a great onomatopoeic book and follows a repetitive rhyming pattern. Children are eager to interact with the sounds each object makes and repeat the words "Oh NO!", "I can't stand THIS" Every time Mr Bear can’t sleep. I would use this book for Early years and key stage 1 children. I think it could be used in a variety of lessons. During music the children could try and create familiar noises which are made in different rooms around the house or act out sequences during drama. The book could be used to teach children to notice different sounds that go on around them heightening their senses. Children could begin to write their own pieces of onomatopoeic work.
October 28, 2015
The story is about a family of bears who go off to bed but unfortunately, Mr Bear struggles to sleep due to Mrs Bears extremely loud snoring. Mr Bear tries to sleep in various different areas within the house but fails to do so, as he is constantly presented with obstacles that prevent him from falling asleep; the clock goes ‘tick, tock, tick, tock’ whilst the kitchen tap leaks, ‘drip, drip’. Jill Murphy constantly uses repetition and rhyme through the story, both repetition and rhyme are very clever techniques to use in story writing because, not only do children engage with the repetition and rhyme used but also it helps increase the speed and confidence of children in learning.
Besides repetition and rhyme the children are exposed to different language techniques such as onomatopoeia and adjectives. The story is perfect for KS1 literacy lessons, there are many literacy activities that can be incorporated into ‘Peace at last’ for instance, role-play, re telling the story verbally and written; introducing adjectives into writing and using punctuation such as full stops and speech marks.
Besides repetition and rhyme the children are exposed to different language techniques such as onomatopoeia and adjectives. The story is perfect for KS1 literacy lessons, there are many literacy activities that can be incorporated into ‘Peace at last’ for instance, role-play, re telling the story verbally and written; introducing adjectives into writing and using punctuation such as full stops and speech marks.
September 12, 2011
Poor old Mr Bear, is a few hours sleep too much to ask for? This book is about Mr and Mrs Bear and baby bear. Mr Bear couldn't get any sleep and travelled around the house to find a peaceful place to sleep. He even went outdoors but to his luck there was no peaceful place to be found.
Jill Murphy has good use of onomatopoeia in this book, such as 'TICK-TOCK, TICK-TOCK, CUCKOO! CUCKOO!' as well as 'DRIP, DRIP....went the leaky kitchen tap'. I like the way the author shows that there are sounds all around us and how we take them for granted.
This book has great use of words and expressions; I would recommend this book for KS1 children who can really enjoy reading this. Also, Early years children would really enjoy this book being read to them, with lots of expression.
The illustrations are colourful and great to look at. The last page has a great picture of Mr Bear in bed with droopy eyes, clearly showing he had no sleep. I loved this book as a child and really enjoyed reliving those moments once again.
Great book!
Jill Murphy has good use of onomatopoeia in this book, such as 'TICK-TOCK, TICK-TOCK, CUCKOO! CUCKOO!' as well as 'DRIP, DRIP....went the leaky kitchen tap'. I like the way the author shows that there are sounds all around us and how we take them for granted.
This book has great use of words and expressions; I would recommend this book for KS1 children who can really enjoy reading this. Also, Early years children would really enjoy this book being read to them, with lots of expression.
The illustrations are colourful and great to look at. The last page has a great picture of Mr Bear in bed with droopy eyes, clearly showing he had no sleep. I loved this book as a child and really enjoyed reliving those moments once again.
Great book!
November 12, 2012
This is a book I will never forget, I read this book when I was in school in Year One and remember it ever since, it is a book that allows children to think what subjects or objects make certain sounds, giving them the opportunity to think. In this book Mr Bear finds it very difficult to sleep due to the noise around him, he moves around the house in different rooms to find comfort, but wherever he goes there is no silence. Murphy uses onomatopoeia to describe the sounds of the noise, e.g. DRIP…. DRIP.. for the dripping sound of the tap in the kitchen. This book appears to be great interests to children of today. It was read out to my class, and all the children appeared very engaged, excited and looked forward to where Mr Bear will go next. It also helps them to understand the world around them. It also comes across quite funny because by the time Mr Bear gets peace, it is time for him to get up again.
I think it can be used for story time or used across the curricular, I would think this book is targeted for Key stage 1 and 2 children.
I think it can be used for story time or used across the curricular, I would think this book is targeted for Key stage 1 and 2 children.
January 7, 2013
This is a book I used in a lesson during my first placement with my reception class, immediately I can say it is a book which has stood the test of time as I remember being taught it when I was in primary school.
I found this edition of Jill Murphy's classic picture book ideal for sharing with groups of children. The story follows Mr Bear when it's late at night and is desperately trying to sleep, but Mrs Bear's extremely loud snoring keeps him awake. After this he tries to sleep in many other areas of the house but finds other obstacles which prevent him from gaining good nights sleep.
Overall I found the bright colourful pictures accompanied by the simple, repetitive text of this book delightful and easy to use in the classroom, pupils were engaged by the repetitive text and as a result enjoyed being involved in reading/ shouting the story. I used the book in a beginning/middle/end sequencing lesson, but can see many other possible uses for it too. It is defiantly a book I would consider using again in the future for children of a similar age group.
I found this edition of Jill Murphy's classic picture book ideal for sharing with groups of children. The story follows Mr Bear when it's late at night and is desperately trying to sleep, but Mrs Bear's extremely loud snoring keeps him awake. After this he tries to sleep in many other areas of the house but finds other obstacles which prevent him from gaining good nights sleep.
Overall I found the bright colourful pictures accompanied by the simple, repetitive text of this book delightful and easy to use in the classroom, pupils were engaged by the repetitive text and as a result enjoyed being involved in reading/ shouting the story. I used the book in a beginning/middle/end sequencing lesson, but can see many other possible uses for it too. It is defiantly a book I would consider using again in the future for children of a similar age group.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 213 reviews