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Jesse Bear
Better Not Get Wet, Jesse Bear
Do Mama and Papa bear really expect a little bear to ramble through a hot summer day without getting wet? How can he possibly stay dry as he waters the roses, skips pebbles on the pond, and helps a blackbird with his bath? Young listeners will sympathize with Jesse's playful urge to wade in a puddle with a squirmy worm or "jump and squish and plop" with a green frog. They will definitely delight in the happy surprise ending.
John McDonough's exuberant narration colorfully animates this joyous sequel to the best-selling Jesse Bear, What Will You Wear?.
John McDonough's exuberant narration colorfully animates this joyous sequel to the best-selling Jesse Bear, What Will You Wear?.
Audible Audio
First published March 31, 1988
3 people are currently reading
78 people want to read
About the author
Nancy White Carlstrom
74 books24 followersNancy White Carlstrom has written more than 50 books for children, including the Jesse Bear series with illustrator Bruce Degan.
Born the daughter of steel mill worker William J. and Eva (Lawrence) White, Nancy White Carlstrom was born in Washington, Pennsylvania, on August 4, 1948. She practiced writing poetry, enjoyed reading books like Little Women, and wanted to become a children’s book author at an early age. Carlstrom worked in the children’s department of her local library in Washington during her high school years. She graduated from Wheaton College in Wheaton, Illinois, majoring in Elementary Education and earning her B.A. in 1970, also studying at Harvard Extension School and Radcliffe from 1974 to 1976. In September of 1974, she married David R. Carlstrom, later a pilot and a marketing director at Fairbanks International Airport. They had two children—Jesse and Joshua.
She draws inspiration from her 18 years living in Alaska, volunteer experiences in Africa and Haiti, and raising her two sons.
Born the daughter of steel mill worker William J. and Eva (Lawrence) White, Nancy White Carlstrom was born in Washington, Pennsylvania, on August 4, 1948. She practiced writing poetry, enjoyed reading books like Little Women, and wanted to become a children’s book author at an early age. Carlstrom worked in the children’s department of her local library in Washington during her high school years. She graduated from Wheaton College in Wheaton, Illinois, majoring in Elementary Education and earning her B.A. in 1970, also studying at Harvard Extension School and Radcliffe from 1974 to 1976. In September of 1974, she married David R. Carlstrom, later a pilot and a marketing director at Fairbanks International Airport. They had two children—Jesse and Joshua.
She draws inspiration from her 18 years living in Alaska, volunteer experiences in Africa and Haiti, and raising her two sons.
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Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews
March 18, 2023
Jesse's parents spend the day telling Jesse Bear he'd better not get wet as he finds water in a variety of forms to tempt him.
The overly strict parents keep interjecting the title in word balloons, and an extra, non-rhyming line gets thrown into the text verse regularly. I found it annoying to read aloud as I staggered between the couplets and the extra junk.
No fun.
The overly strict parents keep interjecting the title in word balloons, and an extra, non-rhyming line gets thrown into the text verse regularly. I found it annoying to read aloud as I staggered between the couplets and the extra junk.
No fun.
October 27, 2016
This second Jesse Bear book is set in summer, a fact we discover quickly from the illustrations even though it is never explicitly stated. Jesse Bear is up and about in this book, as he tries to help with a variety of water-related tasks. As he tries to wash a glass, feed the fish, water the flowers, and bathe a bird in the garden birdbath, one or the other of Jesse's parents warns him, "Better not get wet, Jesse Bear!" As the day ends, though, Mom and Dad take Jesse to a little pool in the backyard, where he is then allowed to get as wet as he pleases.
This book is formatted much the same as the first book - the illustrations are bordered, and the text appears in boxes above or below the main action. In this story, though, there is an added element, speech bubbles, which appear in the midst of Jesse Bear's actions on the page, and repeat his parents' refrain asking him to stay dry. I thought that was a great way to incorporate dialogue into these books, and to introduce the concept of dialogue without yet punctuating it as such.
I also loved the way this story gently teaches that some things can get wet, and some things cannot. When Jesse Bear washes the cup, the text reads, "Poking, soaking, hey hey / Getting wet is okay / For you, cup." The same pattern is repeated for the fish (Slapping flapping, hey hey / Getting wet is okay / For you, fish.") the rose outside in the garden (Sipping, dripping hey hey/ Getting wet is okay / For you, rose.") and the bird in the birdbath ("Splatter spatter, hey hey/ Getting wet is okay / For you, bird.")
I love the way the author uses repetition and rhyme to add rhythm to her story, and I really enjoyed the joyful tone that permeates the entire book from beginning to end.
This book is formatted much the same as the first book - the illustrations are bordered, and the text appears in boxes above or below the main action. In this story, though, there is an added element, speech bubbles, which appear in the midst of Jesse Bear's actions on the page, and repeat his parents' refrain asking him to stay dry. I thought that was a great way to incorporate dialogue into these books, and to introduce the concept of dialogue without yet punctuating it as such.
I also loved the way this story gently teaches that some things can get wet, and some things cannot. When Jesse Bear washes the cup, the text reads, "Poking, soaking, hey hey / Getting wet is okay / For you, cup." The same pattern is repeated for the fish (Slapping flapping, hey hey / Getting wet is okay / For you, fish.") the rose outside in the garden (Sipping, dripping hey hey/ Getting wet is okay / For you, rose.") and the bird in the birdbath ("Splatter spatter, hey hey/ Getting wet is okay / For you, bird.")
I love the way the author uses repetition and rhyme to add rhythm to her story, and I really enjoyed the joyful tone that permeates the entire book from beginning to end.
June 16, 2024
This book grows on me the more I read it. Of course the rhyming is so fun and unique. Of course the storyline is so fun and applicable to J right now (2.25 years). But I ***especially*** love how Jesse bear takes correction so happily and has a great day. That takes this book from a great book to an absolute gem.
December 21, 2020
Better Not Get Wet, Jesse Bear is an illustrated children's book by Nancy White Carlstrom, that tells the story of an active young Bear named Jesse. Throughout the book, Jesse plays with fish, frogs, puddles and hoses and his parents routinely remind him that he better not get wet.
This is another one of my childhood books. The concept is cute, the illustrations are intricate (although the colouring isn't very lively) and the text is written in rhyming form.
This is another one of my childhood books. The concept is cute, the illustrations are intricate (although the colouring isn't very lively) and the text is written in rhyming form.
October 16, 2017
Jesse Bear finds all kinds of ways to get wet, from sprinklers to bird baths. Mama and Papa don't want him to get wet.
The cadence of the rhyme is what I like about this book. Not your typical rhyming book.
The cadence of the rhyme is what I like about this book. Not your typical rhyming book.
April 26, 2023
As you read the book you think, why can't he get wet yet? You wonder if he ever will, until...
All the ways you can get wet, and yet they say, you better not. :) We liked this one, but I think we were all just like, hey! Would we get wet if we were him?
All the ways you can get wet, and yet they say, you better not. :) We liked this one, but I think we were all just like, hey! Would we get wet if we were him?
July 29, 2017
Read-Aloud Revival Recommendation for July Picture Books. Cute, repetitive (in a good way) story that really engaged my preschoolers.
April 30, 2018
Summary: Jesse Bear shouldn't get wet.
This book was fine. It gets a 2 because I kind of disdained it at the end. I wouldn't be super happy about reading it again.
This book was fine. It gets a 2 because I kind of disdained it at the end. I wouldn't be super happy about reading it again.
June 6, 2022
Illistrations are beautiful and fun, but the message gets muddled and or is not explained in the best possible way through the books rhymes.
October 8, 2007
Jesse Bear must be about two years old. He's a young, rambunctious bear who is apparently into everything. Although his parents have a day of swimming planned for him, they don't want him to get wet before it is time. Yet they give him ample opportunity to disobey with a tempting aquarium, garden hose and so forth. I find this sort of behavior among real life adults to their children infuriating so I'm clueless as to why I'd find it fodder for a cute story.
Fortunately Jesse Bear seems pretty thick skinned to all of his parent's scolding but later in life he's either going to be neurotic from years of unexplained scolding or he's going to be a spoiled brat who won't have any sort of self discipline. Neither option seems like a good future for Jesse Bear.
From the positive reviews, younger children (the books is aimed at the preschool crowd) like the simplistic rhymes and colorful illustrations. They also like the repetition of the phrase: "Better not get wet, Jesse Bear." I didn't have an opportunity to read it to either of my two children so I can't tell you if they would agree with these reviews.
Fortunately Jesse Bear seems pretty thick skinned to all of his parent's scolding but later in life he's either going to be neurotic from years of unexplained scolding or he's going to be a spoiled brat who won't have any sort of self discipline. Neither option seems like a good future for Jesse Bear.
From the positive reviews, younger children (the books is aimed at the preschool crowd) like the simplistic rhymes and colorful illustrations. They also like the repetition of the phrase: "Better not get wet, Jesse Bear." I didn't have an opportunity to read it to either of my two children so I can't tell you if they would agree with these reviews.
June 23, 2016
Today's helicopter parents will enjoy this one. Jesse's parents hover over him requesting that he not get wet in his own backyard. Jesse is not allowed to splash in the birdbath, play with the hose, and so on. Finally, at the end of the book, he is allowed to get wet in a kiddie pool. Jesse is still wearing the same outfit throughout, so, apparently it's not that he was wearing his 'good clothes' and thus shouldn't get wet.
I don't know why it bothered me, it's just a picture book. Ineffective parental nagging has never been something I really liked, so maybe that's what bothered me. I mean, he is still getting wet in the birdbath and with the hose but is told he's not allowed to after it has already happened.
The illustrations were cute, the overall style of the book was pleasant. I'm even interesting in trying other Jesse Bear books. It's just that this one bothered me.
Oh well, if you spend your entire day nagging your child with every breath, carry a bottle of Purell with you everywhere and would never let your kid catch a bug, this book is probably for you.
I don't know why it bothered me, it's just a picture book. Ineffective parental nagging has never been something I really liked, so maybe that's what bothered me. I mean, he is still getting wet in the birdbath and with the hose but is told he's not allowed to after it has already happened.
The illustrations were cute, the overall style of the book was pleasant. I'm even interesting in trying other Jesse Bear books. It's just that this one bothered me.
Oh well, if you spend your entire day nagging your child with every breath, carry a bottle of Purell with you everywhere and would never let your kid catch a bug, this book is probably for you.
December 6, 2008
Such a fun, sing-song rhyme - soothing and as lovely as a warm bath. I read this a gazillion times to my child and ended up buying all of Nancy White Carlstrom's books. Well worth the seek, as sadly, this is not available unless you order a used copy.
January 18, 2010
This is a cute book about water. It teaches students about a lot of things that live and/or use water. This would be a good story to read in the summer time. This book also contains a bunch a rhyming words.
April 13, 2014
Jesse Bear books are cute simple often time rhyming stories. This one involves all types of 'getting wet' with various things...plants, geese, and finally Jesse Bear gets to get wet himself and swim.
February 16, 2009
While reading this book my 14 year old happened to have the hose on outside and got my 3 year old all wet. Fun book to read.
June 11, 2009
This used to be my favorite book when I was little... I would read it everyday, so much, that I could say the book without even looking... this is a great child's book
November 9, 2011
All day long, Jesse Bear is warned about getting wet. Children will delight in how his afternoon ends...wet as can be!
April 9, 2012
Our entire family loves all the Jesse Bear Books! There a must & get read at least once for bedtime every week!
November 16, 2015
We couldn't figure out why Jesse couldn't get wet.
March 29, 2017
It's a lovely rhyming story with colorful illustration. Good bed time story.
Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews