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Baby Bear
Milk and Cookies
A well-loved classic, generation to generation!
Baby Bear is visiting Grandma and Grandpa when he hears a noise in the basement.
Every child can relate to this charming children's book, written and illustrated by Frank Asch. The simple illustrations create lasting memories and the feel-good story will remind parents just why this story is a classic.
Baby Bear is visiting Grandma and Grandpa when he hears a noise in the basement.
Every child can relate to this charming children's book, written and illustrated by Frank Asch. The simple illustrations create lasting memories and the feel-good story will remind parents just why this story is a classic.
40 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1982
3 people are currently reading
211 people want to read
About the author
Frank Asch
111 books101 followersFrank Asch is an American children's writer, best known for his Moonbear picture books.
Asch published his first picture book, George's Store, in 1968. The following year he graduated from Cooper Union with a BFA. Since then he has taught at a public school in India, as well as at a Montessori school in the United States, conducted numerous creative workshops for children. He has written over 60 books, including Turtle Tale, Mooncake, I Can Blink and Happy Birthday Moon. In 1989 he wrote Here Comes the Cat! in collaboration with Vladimir Vagin. The book was awarded the Russian National Book Award and was considered the first Russian-American collaboration on a children's book.
Asch lived in Somerville, New Jersey where he and his wife home-schooled their son Devin.
He currently lives in Vermont with his wife, Jan.
Asch published his first picture book, George's Store, in 1968. The following year he graduated from Cooper Union with a BFA. Since then he has taught at a public school in India, as well as at a Montessori school in the United States, conducted numerous creative workshops for children. He has written over 60 books, including Turtle Tale, Mooncake, I Can Blink and Happy Birthday Moon. In 1989 he wrote Here Comes the Cat! in collaboration with Vladimir Vagin. The book was awarded the Russian National Book Award and was considered the first Russian-American collaboration on a children's book.
Asch lived in Somerville, New Jersey where he and his wife home-schooled their son Devin.
He currently lives in Vermont with his wife, Jan.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 64 reviews
February 22, 2017
A flawless masterpiece. This book has it all: edge of your seat suspense, pulse pounding drama, a tragic loss, a twist you won't see coming, and a heartwarming ending.
This book should be required reading for everyone. In fact, I just decided on behalf of the human race that it is required reading for everyone. If you disagree with my decision, then feel free to contact me; I'll gladly stop melting down cars with my heat vision to discuss why you are wrong.
On a completely unrelated note, I wonder how susceptible human flesh is to beams of concentrated, highly intense heat?
This book should be required reading for everyone. In fact, I just decided on behalf of the human race that it is required reading for everyone. If you disagree with my decision, then feel free to contact me; I'll gladly stop melting down cars with my heat vision to discuss why you are wrong.
On a completely unrelated note, I wonder how susceptible human flesh is to beams of concentrated, highly intense heat?
November 11, 2020
Any parent can sympathize with a story where a child wakes you in the middle of the night upset from a dream that the scary furnace ate all of their cookies.
February 15, 2010
How have I not reviewed this book before???? When my now 6-yr-old was little he loved this book. We checked it out from the library over and over again. I recently got it "to keep and never give back" and I've read it over 100 times and I'm not joking. Both the 3 and 6-yr-old ask for it again and again and again.
The pictures are simple and so is the text. A new reader could read it fairly easily. The story is a bit scary, but the kind of scary little kids like to see resolved because it reaffirms their belief that all is good in the world.
My husband has been translating this to Hebrew for them and now they ask for it with Hebrew words. It's been great for having them learn simple words.
Very highly recommended. One I'm sure I'll read another 100 times. Or more.
The pictures are simple and so is the text. A new reader could read it fairly easily. The story is a bit scary, but the kind of scary little kids like to see resolved because it reaffirms their belief that all is good in the world.
My husband has been translating this to Hebrew for them and now they ask for it with Hebrew words. It's been great for having them learn simple words.
Very highly recommended. One I'm sure I'll read another 100 times. Or more.
October 14, 2008
This book helped me through some of my fears. It is about this bear that thinks there is a dragon in his grandparent's basement. He dreamed of it eating his milk and cookies. His father woke him up and the little bear told his father of his dream. They went downstairs to see if there was a dragon and it turned out to be a wood stove with flames coming out. So, at the end his whole family ate the milk and cookies. For me, this book helped me through fears of people under my bed.
March 23, 2011
This book has been one of my favorites for a long time! I think all little kids can relate to when the little bear imagines the furnace for something scary...every child has imagined something to be what it really wasn't! It would be a great book for younger students!
May 16, 2008
MY ABSOLUTE FAVORITE BOOK AS A CHILD!
January 12, 2009
I love this book...when i was littler, i read it all the time, and now, even though i dont read it as much, whenever i see it i usually pick it up and read it hehe :P
May 22, 2024
Milk and Cookies, by Frank Asch, c 1982, republished in 2015.
In Milk and Cookies, Baby bear and his mom and dad go to visit Grandpa and Grandma. In the middle of the night, Baby bear wakes up and sees his grandpa go down in the cellar and feed a roaring dragon. Baby bear goes back to sleep but has a terrible dream in which a dragon eats up all the milk and cookies in the house. When he wakes up, his dad shows him that the terrible dragon is really just the wood stove in the cellar. Now that everyone is awake, milk and cookies are served all around! Great read aloud for ages 2-4 and simple text for early readers. Little ones will identify with anxiety caused by things they can't identify. And milk and cookies are always welcome!
The Baby Bear series comprises nine books, some of which have been more recently published. They include:
Sand Cake (Bear and his daddy make a sand cake on the beach)
Popcorn (everyone brings a treat for a Halloween party)
Bread and Honey (Bear paints a picture of his mother at school)
Good Night, Baby Bear (Mama Bear is ready to hibernate, but Baby bear just isn't sleepy)
Pizza (Baby bear eats pizza for the first time - and now he doesn't want to eat anything else!)
Just Like Daddy (Baby bear likes to do everything just like his dad - but his mom has some surprising skills!)
Pancakes in Pajamas (The bear family spends the day in pajamas and enjoys pancakes)
Tacos (Baby bear isn't sure he'll like tacos. Will he be willing to try a new food?)
In Milk and Cookies, Baby bear and his mom and dad go to visit Grandpa and Grandma. In the middle of the night, Baby bear wakes up and sees his grandpa go down in the cellar and feed a roaring dragon. Baby bear goes back to sleep but has a terrible dream in which a dragon eats up all the milk and cookies in the house. When he wakes up, his dad shows him that the terrible dragon is really just the wood stove in the cellar. Now that everyone is awake, milk and cookies are served all around! Great read aloud for ages 2-4 and simple text for early readers. Little ones will identify with anxiety caused by things they can't identify. And milk and cookies are always welcome!
The Baby Bear series comprises nine books, some of which have been more recently published. They include:
Sand Cake (Bear and his daddy make a sand cake on the beach)
Popcorn (everyone brings a treat for a Halloween party)
Bread and Honey (Bear paints a picture of his mother at school)
Good Night, Baby Bear (Mama Bear is ready to hibernate, but Baby bear just isn't sleepy)
Pizza (Baby bear eats pizza for the first time - and now he doesn't want to eat anything else!)
Just Like Daddy (Baby bear likes to do everything just like his dad - but his mom has some surprising skills!)
Pancakes in Pajamas (The bear family spends the day in pajamas and enjoys pancakes)
Tacos (Baby bear isn't sure he'll like tacos. Will he be willing to try a new food?)
December 20, 2016
1. Awards the book has received (if any): No awards
2. Appropriate grade level(s): K-2
3. Original 3-line summary: Baby Bear is frightened by a noise that he hears outside his grandparent’s house, and when he peeks outside he sees a dragon. When Baby Bear goes to sleep that night he has a nightmare about the dragon eating all of his milk and cookies. His father helps him to realize that there was no dragon outside, and his milk and cookies are safe.
4. Original 3-line review: This book is great for beginner readers because it is very relatable for young children. Many young students have nightmares similar to Baby Bear’s and can be reminded that monsters are not real. The illustrations in this book are also very detailed and help bring the story to life for beginner readers.
5. 2-3 possible in-class uses: This book could be used in reader’s workshop as the detailed pictures could help young readers’ comprehension. It could also be used in a themed activity that encourages students to look closely at details as things are not always what they seem.
2. Appropriate grade level(s): K-2
3. Original 3-line summary: Baby Bear is frightened by a noise that he hears outside his grandparent’s house, and when he peeks outside he sees a dragon. When Baby Bear goes to sleep that night he has a nightmare about the dragon eating all of his milk and cookies. His father helps him to realize that there was no dragon outside, and his milk and cookies are safe.
4. Original 3-line review: This book is great for beginner readers because it is very relatable for young children. Many young students have nightmares similar to Baby Bear’s and can be reminded that monsters are not real. The illustrations in this book are also very detailed and help bring the story to life for beginner readers.
5. 2-3 possible in-class uses: This book could be used in reader’s workshop as the detailed pictures could help young readers’ comprehension. It could also be used in a themed activity that encourages students to look closely at details as things are not always what they seem.
July 13, 2021
This was a pretty cute book about a child being confronted with things that those of the previous generation take as a matter of course. Having never seen a woodstove before, in his half-asleep state, he sees it as a dragon and has a nightmare about it coming upstairs and having to feed it milk and cookies.
It was cute. I empathize with the little guy. My house is a 100+ old farmhouse that until three years ago had a coal furnace downstairs in the dungeon. That's literally what we call it. It's old, and creepy, and dank and dark and musty and covered in coal dust. My dad used to have to go down and shovel coal in and take clinkers out every night.
The part that made me laugh the most was the hyda-bed in the living room. I wonder if kids today even know what that is?
Story: Narrative
Art: Spartan
Price: 7.99
It was cute. I empathize with the little guy. My house is a 100+ old farmhouse that until three years ago had a coal furnace downstairs in the dungeon. That's literally what we call it. It's old, and creepy, and dank and dark and musty and covered in coal dust. My dad used to have to go down and shovel coal in and take clinkers out every night.
The part that made me laugh the most was the hyda-bed in the living room. I wonder if kids today even know what that is?
Story: Narrative
Art: Spartan
Price: 7.99
March 11, 2022
Genre: Modern Fantasy
Grade Range: K - 2nd
I loved this book! There are so many kids that have bad dreams and are afraid of things in the basement. This book shows how baby bear was brave and he did not let his bad dream scare him. He even went downstairs to face his fear. I love that everyone in the family got up and had milk and cookies during the night! This is a very cute book!
Grade Range: K - 2nd
I loved this book! There are so many kids that have bad dreams and are afraid of things in the basement. This book shows how baby bear was brave and he did not let his bad dream scare him. He even went downstairs to face his fear. I love that everyone in the family got up and had milk and cookies during the night! This is a very cute book!
July 24, 2022
I had genuinely forgotten this classic story about a baby bear who mistakes a wood furnace for a hungry dragon! It was one of my absolute favorites as a child, and it still holds up after all this time. This will be on my radar again for recommendations, and I will definitely purchase it for my personal collection to read to my future children. <3
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October 29, 2025This was my husband's favorite book as a child and he bought a copy for our daughter right when she was born. We have read and revisited it many times and it's always fun. Great imagination, very cozy and lots of fun details (it helped us explain what a futon is, and the cat is on top of the refrigerator just like one of our cats likes to do).
July 17, 2017
This was a great book about how easy it can be to make a mistake in judgement.
August 10, 2017
Baby bear sees a fire breathing dragon at his grandparents and nothing but milk and cookies will calm him. Cute way to explain ordinary things to a child with an imagination. Hurray for Grandpap!
December 31, 2018
I loved this book as a child and I read it to the kids I work with regularly. I learned to read my first words on these pages and it will always hold a special place in my heart.
June 24, 2019
So cute and the PERFECT choice for my fire-fearing 5-year-old.
May 12, 2020
This is good book for elementary school students. The illustrations are basic, but the storyline is good.
August 13, 2020
August 13, 2020 daily reading homework for Leo
August 21, 2020
Really a silly book; however, my boys LOVE it so much.
March 9, 2021
First book I've read where one of the main characters is a woodstove. My kids are really, weirdly into it.
March 10, 2021
Baby Bear went to spend the time with his grandparents and he and his parents ended up staying overnight. Unfortunately his imagination began to run wild and he thought he saw a dragon!
March 8, 2022
The sweetest story!! I love Asch’s bear family characters, as well as how he captured the wild imagination of a typical child. So cute and funny!
August 1, 2022
Super cute book
October 11, 2022
Brining back vague childhood memories.
November 14, 2022
Baby Bear thinks he sees his grandfather feeding a dragon in the basement, has a dream about giving it milk and cookies, then learns it's only the wood burning stove.
September 3, 2023
This book had a somewhat interesting twist due to a child’s misunderstanding.
December 28, 2023
A mom favorite from back in the day still holds up!
February 2, 2024
I remember loving this book as a child. It is laughably boring as a adult though
Displaying 1 - 30 of 64 reviews