There, There

by Sam McBratney, Ivan Bates (Illustrator)

Simplified Chinese edition of There, There by Sam McBratney. Little bear Hans was injured and daddy bear would tell him, "There, there" and give him a hug and a kiss. And is well. So when daddy bear got a splinter in his foot, Hans knew exactly what to do. In Simplified Chinese. Annotation copyright Tsai Fong Books, Inc. Distributed by Tsai Fong Books, Inc.

Genres: Picture Books, Family, Childrens, Animals, Love, Fiction, Storytime

40 pages, Hardcover

Published September 1, 2013

About the author

The 1943 born Northern Ireland native started writing children's books when he was a teacher in his thirties, with the aim of helping out students who had trouble reading. But he continued writing for a more-personal reason: "the act of imagining simply makes me feel good," he says. The fifty-seventh book of Sam McBratney's career, and his first book with Candlewick Press, was the much-loved GUESS HOW MUCH I LOVE YOU, which has sold an astonishing 15 million copies worldwide, and is available in 37 languages. "This is not the sort of thing you expect when most of your books have been remaindered," the author admits. "But, as the frog trapped in the milk discovered, if you keep going, sometimes you find yourself walking on cream cheese."

Where does Sam McBratney get his inspiration? "I told my children stories when they were young," he says, "so when I write I try to think of what they would have liked." But there may be another source guiding his writing as well. The author's father--who worked as a type compositor with the BELFAST TELEGRAPH, and whose favorite books were westerns--is the person Sam McBratney credits for giving him his love of the English language. "Most of my picture books--GUESS HOW MUCH I LOVE YOU, THE DARK AT THE TOP OF THE STAIRS, JUST ONE!, and JUST YOU AND ME--explore the relationship between a big one and a wee one," the author notes. "The big one is not called the father in the stories, but that's what he is. Although my dad died before I became a writer, the father in my stories has a voice and a presence that he would have recognized and understood."

In addition to authoring many books for children, Sam McBratney wrote radio plays for adults and a prize-winning collection of short stories. He received a degree in history and political science from Trinity College, Dublin, and worked for many years as a teacher.

Reviews

[Elaine · Rating 4 out of 5]

I searched through the library for "There, there" by Tommy Orange. Clearly my fingers slipped. When I went to the library to pick up I found "There, there" by Sam Mcbratney on the shelf. I held it in my hand and decided to open it up, for the sheer joy of recapturing those many moments of reading to young children that have occurred in my life. I am very glad that I did. This is an absolutely charming book. A small bear learns about the power of the phrases "there, there" from his loving papa bear. At the end of the story the baby bear ends up comforting his father with the same words. The circle of life is beautifully shown and the book has wonderful illustrations and a simple story line that is told effectively. I was especially pleased by the fact that the book highlighted the relationship between a Dad and his son - a relationship that was rarely explored when I was rearing a child. As an older parent, I was happy to see a male parent that had a bit of gray hair and wore glasses, illustrating that love comes in many ways and many forms.

[Laura Harrison · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sweet, sturdy board book with classic Sam McBratney illustrations. Quite wonderful!

[Marloes · Rating 5 out of 5]

'Stil maar' van Sam Mc Bratney is een prachtig geïllustreerd prentenboek om voor te lezen. De boodschap is mooi; een vaderbeer die zijn zoontje telkens weer troost met de woorden 'het gaat zo weer over'. Tot vaderbeer zelf pijn heeft en getroost wordt door zijn zoontje met dezelfde woorden. Naast het lezen is het ook erg leuk om de prachtige platen te bekijken, waar van alles valt te ontdekken en te bespreken met het kind.

[SBC · Rating 2 out of 5]

I liked the concept of this story - a little bear, Hansie, keeps getting into scrapes, and his Dad patches him up and teaches him that it won't be long till he will feel better. Dad has the same problem at the end of the book and Hansie returns the TLC. However, for me the writing was ho-hum and personally, I didn't enjoy the illustrations, which I found oddly cross-hatched and messy (esp the images of the bears).

[Kate prefers books to people · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed the illustrations. It's a sweet preschool story about kindness. I got it to read to my toddler but the older boys liked it too. It gets 5 stars because a) the art is sweet, b) my kids requested it again, and c) I've heard them say "There, there," to each other over stubbed toes and skinned knees. Very cute, will probably check out from the library again.

[Rose Rosetree · Rating 5 out of 5]

Saying "There, there" is like tying a bow around a giftwrapped package, when the package is caring and sensitivity, and the rest of the giftwrap is love.

Sam McBratney specializes in communicating to the very youngest readers that love matters, and love can buffer them through difficult situations.

[Cecilia · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very touching book. Anyone who is a daddy's-kid will especially find this book special.

[Jenna Mills · Rating 3 out of 5]

A sweet book. I sometimes thing little ones would understand the message better if the characters were humans.

[Katherine · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read this with the kids at the library. I think I liked it more then them.

[Samantha Jorgens · Rating 4 out of 5]

In the children’s book, There, There, by Sam McBratney, Hansie is an adventurous bear cub that likes to do attempt abnormal activities for a bear. These activities include walking like a duck, digging a ditch, playing on the swing, and so on. Hansie continues to hurt himself in many different ways when playing, so his dad would always come find him to hug him and say, “there, there.” Hansie’s dad eventually stepped on a splinter, so Hansie hugged him and said, “there, there,” just as his dad did for him when he was hurt.
One of the most notable themes for this book is compassion. Children need compassion and affection, whether it is from a parent, a sibling, or a friend, to help with their emotional development. Another possible theme is persistence. Hansie gets hurt when attempting each activity, but he does not let this prevent him from having fun. This is a valuable lesson, as children should not let fear hinder their natural curiosity. I would give this book a 4 star rating because I love the underlying messages and the detailed illustrations. However, I feel like it is almost too repetitive, which makes it somewhat predictable.
I can definitely relate to Hansie as I was always in and out of the doctor’s office from getting hurt when playing. I can’t even count how many bones I have broken from hiking, playing sports, and wrestling with my siblings. Similarly to Hansie, I did not let this interfere with my desire to explore and try new things. I also always relied on my parents to get me bandaged up before sending me back out to play. I would definitely recommend this book for younger kids because of the simplistic language and fun pictures. I like that this book encourages kids to go outside and be adventurous, rather than staying inside huddled around the TV or computer.

[Elif · Rating 4 out of 5]

‘There, There’ is a heart warming story about a family of bears and the bond between a father and his son. Little Hansie bear suffers the minor slings and arrows of childhood (a stumble, a hurt knee, a head bump, sand in his eyes), his father gives him an enveloping cuddle and is always there for Hansie to make him feel better again. One day Hansie’s dad comes home with a thorn stuck in his foot but Hansie knows just what to do to make his Dad alright again - give him the tightest hug ever off course!
The striking colours and adorable water-colour illustrations (illustrated by Ivan Bates) were my main choice in selecting this book and the plot delivered equally well. Most children's picture books usually have the mother as the caregiver so it was pleasant to have the author depict the father as the caregiver in this instance.
I would recommend this book for children aged 3-7. In the classroom I would use this as a whole class read to help children understand the importance of helping others when they are hurt in the playground.

[Jen · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars - Great!

I really enjoyed this great story. The illustrations were quite excellent, too. :) Combined, they form a very charming book. My nieces (17 months old) are here for a visit and this was read to them before it had to go back to the library: It's a winner! I have added it to my to-gift shelf so that eventually they'll have a copy of this charming story for their very own. :)

I loved how little Hansie Bear was so adventurous in his games, but his parents were never far from him so when he had little accidents and boo-boos his father was always there to comfort him with a "There, there..." Then later when his dad was hurt, little Hansie remembered and comforted his papa with a "There, there..." of his own. :)

[Samantha · Rating 3 out of 5]

Hansie Bear is young and adventurous. His antics sometimes end in tears, but luckily he has a big, strong papa to give him a hug and reassure him that the hurt will soon fade.

I really liked how calm this book was. When Hansie was hurt, Papa had all the answers and he quickly diffused each situation. I also really liked that this book featured Daddy offering comfort as opposed to Mommy. Mommy is just as good, but books featuring Daddy in this role aren't nearly as plentiful. On top of that, the characters were all animals making this a relatable book for families of all cultural backgrounds.

Mixed media illustrations. PreK-2.

[Laura DeLuca · Rating 5 out of 5]

There, There is the story of a family of bears. Hansie is the baby bear, and he keeps getting hurt while he's playing. Daddy bear always comes to soothe him and makes him feel better. Later, Daddy Bear gets a thorn in his foot, and little Hansie, with some help from mom, returns the favor. Definitely a sweet story about the special bound between father and son, but what really makes this story stand out are the beautiful illustrations. The bears are so vivid they practically jump off the page, and the background of fall foliage is lovely. This book is a wonderful choice, especially for father's to read to their children.

[June · Rating 4 out of 5]

A little bear keeps getting hurt and his father comforts him every time. I enjoyed the twist in the ending. I have several favorite mother books for Mother's Day story times, but I've always felt that my Father's Day programs were weaker, so I am hoping to use this next year. 9/21/13

This was the second book chosen and didn't work that well upstairs where there are a lot of distractions, though the 2 fathers seemed to enjoy it and one girl was taken with it.

[Fplyouth Staff · Rating 4 out of 5]

Exquistite soft watercolor illustrations create a calming effect to any little child trying something new. A father's loving reassurance is always nearby and the child has the opportunity return the support he received. A sweet tale about the importance of supporting each other in the small ups and downs of life. Gorgeous illustrations with personable soft faces complete this comforting tale.

[Jen · Rating 4 out of 5]

maybe I'm a tough love kinda person, but a kid shouldn't need dad everytime something bad happens. I'm glad that his dad takes out the thorn, rubs his bumped head, tells him to blink his eyes, and rescues him from the hole, but of the 4 things, dad only really needed to do two. cute pictures. very short.

[Katie Fitzgerald · Rating 3 out of 5]

This sugary-sweet story shows how members of a bear family help each other when injuries and other problems disrupt their daily routine. I wouldn't use it in story time because it is a bit too sweet and syrupy for my taste, but it might be a comforting tale for a parent to share with a child on a difficult day.

[Alice · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a sweet little book! It is important for kids to know they are loved. There are too many kids in this world fall and hurt their knee, bump their head, stub their toe and there is no parent to comfort them. Kids need that security. This book tells a child that mom and dad will be there...and that is important for a child!! I know I needed reassurance as a child!!

[Melanie Hetrick · Rating 3 out of 5]

A sweet story of a young bear who has numerous boo-boos during his adventurous day. Each time something happens, his father picks him up, hugs him and says "there, there," making the situation much better.

Later that day, father bear comes home with a thorn in his foot. As mama bear takes the thorn out, baby bear makes it all better by hugging his dad and saying "there, there."

[Margaret Chind · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a lovingly illustrated book about repetition in the bumps and bruises of a busy Hansie bear. Sometimes dad is there for reassurance or rather most of the time. Yet maybe once in a while dad needs to be told "there, there", he too will be alright.

Thanks to Candlewick Press.

[Paul Davidson · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is kind of boring for adults, but my 2.5 year old son seems to like it. There isn't really much of a story, no new vocabulary or rhyming. It has a nice message - parents need to be cared about too. Worth checking out from the library, but I think it would get too old too quick to buy.

[Steve · Rating 3 out of 5]

Simply fantastic material for the whole family. The illustrations are extremely adorable and the reading material feels perfect for the story. There's a really nice moral to the whole thing that just makes it a great read for child and parent alike. Plus, ducks!

[Mary · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a gentle, reassuring story that shows a young bear being comforted by his dad after tumbles, bumps, and scrapes. With a hug and a "There, there..." papa bear shows his cub that everything will be all right. It's nice to see a book where the father is shown nurturing the child.

[Edward Sullivan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Pleasant and comforting.

[Tracie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I like this one for storytime. Hansie Bear gets several boo-boos and his dad knows just how to make them better.

[Great Books · Rating 3 out of 5]

This sweet story of dad and cub illustrate that there's nothing better than a simple hug and the reassuring words of "there, there" to feel comforted and loved.
Reviewer 18

[Danica Midlil · Rating 1 out of 5]

"Little Hansie Bear, who loved to pretend, thought it would be fun to walk like a duck.


Unfoturantely he fell over sideways into a deep-down ditch."

WTF?!

Nope. No thanks.

[Kelsey]

Family: Dad

[Slytano · Rating 3 out of 5]

This bear family is an especially clumsy lot. Falling over all the time, stepping on things…they would be in chronic pain were it not for their magical healing hugs.