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Bearobics
When one shaggy bear increases the volume of the music, all the inhabitants of the forest--including two bouncing kangaroos and three giggling gorillas--gather for a fun time dancing, in a lively counting book. Reprint.
32 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1996
29 people want to read
About the author
Victoria Parker
417 books10 followersLibrarian Note: There is more than one author by this name in the Goodreads database.
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
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February 15, 2017Title: Bearobics: a hip-hop counting story
Author: Vic Parker
Illustrator: Emily Bolam
Genre: Counting Book
Theme(s): Counting, Music, Animals
Opening line/sentence:
“Deep in the forest there’s a thumping, bumping sound, a drumming and a humming, a stomping on the ground.”
Brief Book Summary:
Bearobics: a hip-hop counting story mixes music, movement and counting all in one book. In this story a bear turns on his boom box and starts of a dance party with all the animals. Each number of animals progresses from one bear, to two kangaroos, to three gorillas and so on.
Professional Recommendation/Review #1:
Jan Lieberman (Children’s Literature)
Begin your day with Bearobics. When one shaggy bear turns up the volume on his boom box, the Bearobics beat is irresistible. "Deep in the forest there's a thumping, bumping sound./ a drumming and a humming, a stomping on the ground..." Animals bounce and strut their stuff with jivey, zany energy. "Six lazzzzy snakes, hisssing with delight," is a fun way to play with sounds. 1997, Viking, $5.99. Ages 2 to 6.
(PUBLISHER: Viking (New York:), PUBLISHED: 1997.)
Professional Recommendation Review #2:
Kirkus (Kirkus Reviews 1997)
This counting book, its tribal rhythm pounding through its rhyming, typographic lines, is truly aerobics on the page. In her first book, Parker takes a funny concept and executes it flawlessly. After a bear turns on his boom box, "With a fizzle in their fingers and a tingle in their toes, two hoppin' kangaroos know how Bearobics goes. Three giggling gorillas now get into the groove. Bopping and shoowapping. Just watch them as they move!" Bolam's bright, flat illustrations fit the manic mood perfectly. Kids will love the irresistible movement of the words--and the invitation to join in for the count, which progresses (in one particular leap) to a million ants. Frenetic and fun. 1997, Viking, $14.99. © 1997 Kirkus Reviews/VNU eMedia, Inc. All rights reserved.
(PUBLISHER: Viking (New York:), PUBLISHED: 1997.)
Response to Two Professional Reviews:
Both reviews mention the catchy rhythm of the book, which lends well to a sing-song read aloud. They both give examples of the whacky words the kids will have a fun time trying to say as they dance along to the book. Neither review mentioned the amount of alliteration used in the book, which I thought was noteworthy for students.
Evaluation of Literary Elements:
The book uses bright illustrations and different size font with words. Some words are emboldened, elongated, smaller and bigger to add/subtract emphasis on them. The text also slants up and down which aids in the rhythm of the book. The book uses a lot of alliteration and goofy words to describe dance movements. On one page, readers have to turn the book to read the words, and the perspective changes. The reader is kind of looking down on all the animals, which adds a fun twist.
Consideration of Instructional Application:
The book is very musical and lends to dance easily. The students could do an activity where they dance along to the book dressed as different animals. The book could also be an inspiration for an activity where students create their own counting songs individually or in small groups.
Author: Vic Parker
Illustrator: Emily Bolam
Genre: Counting Book
Theme(s): Counting, Music, Animals
Opening line/sentence:
“Deep in the forest there’s a thumping, bumping sound, a drumming and a humming, a stomping on the ground.”
Brief Book Summary:
Bearobics: a hip-hop counting story mixes music, movement and counting all in one book. In this story a bear turns on his boom box and starts of a dance party with all the animals. Each number of animals progresses from one bear, to two kangaroos, to three gorillas and so on.
Professional Recommendation/Review #1:
Jan Lieberman (Children’s Literature)
Begin your day with Bearobics. When one shaggy bear turns up the volume on his boom box, the Bearobics beat is irresistible. "Deep in the forest there's a thumping, bumping sound./ a drumming and a humming, a stomping on the ground..." Animals bounce and strut their stuff with jivey, zany energy. "Six lazzzzy snakes, hisssing with delight," is a fun way to play with sounds. 1997, Viking, $5.99. Ages 2 to 6.
(PUBLISHER: Viking (New York:), PUBLISHED: 1997.)
Professional Recommendation Review #2:
Kirkus (Kirkus Reviews 1997)
This counting book, its tribal rhythm pounding through its rhyming, typographic lines, is truly aerobics on the page. In her first book, Parker takes a funny concept and executes it flawlessly. After a bear turns on his boom box, "With a fizzle in their fingers and a tingle in their toes, two hoppin' kangaroos know how Bearobics goes. Three giggling gorillas now get into the groove. Bopping and shoowapping. Just watch them as they move!" Bolam's bright, flat illustrations fit the manic mood perfectly. Kids will love the irresistible movement of the words--and the invitation to join in for the count, which progresses (in one particular leap) to a million ants. Frenetic and fun. 1997, Viking, $14.99. © 1997 Kirkus Reviews/VNU eMedia, Inc. All rights reserved.
(PUBLISHER: Viking (New York:), PUBLISHED: 1997.)
Response to Two Professional Reviews:
Both reviews mention the catchy rhythm of the book, which lends well to a sing-song read aloud. They both give examples of the whacky words the kids will have a fun time trying to say as they dance along to the book. Neither review mentioned the amount of alliteration used in the book, which I thought was noteworthy for students.
Evaluation of Literary Elements:
The book uses bright illustrations and different size font with words. Some words are emboldened, elongated, smaller and bigger to add/subtract emphasis on them. The text also slants up and down which aids in the rhythm of the book. The book uses a lot of alliteration and goofy words to describe dance movements. On one page, readers have to turn the book to read the words, and the perspective changes. The reader is kind of looking down on all the animals, which adds a fun twist.
Consideration of Instructional Application:
The book is very musical and lends to dance easily. The students could do an activity where they dance along to the book dressed as different animals. The book could also be an inspiration for an activity where students create their own counting songs individually or in small groups.
April 5, 2018
Bearobics teaches multiple things to young students. This picture books is great to read for new readers. It also teaches the importance of exercising and growing up and staying healthy. I chose this book because of how interactive it is with students.
March 14, 2022
A fun story about how animals work out in the jungle.
January 1, 2014
'Bearobics, A Hip-Hop Counting Story' communicates a timeless message in a delightfully fun & visually appealing way. The message: exercise is fun and good for you, in the same vein as Beyoncé's Knowles teaming up with the other First Lady of the United States Michelle Obama to encourage children across America to "Move Your Body", a fun song & dance that focuses on excercise as the secret to a good life.
The text by Vic Parker is written in rhyming couplets that are full of figurative language, alliteration and onomatopoeia. Take the first lines of the story as an example of Parker's use of colloquial language:
"Deep in the forest there's a thumping, bumping sound,
A drumming and a humming, a stomping on the ground.
The pumping rumpus rhythm takes control of both your feet
And suddenly you find yourself getting with the beat."
The alliteration, with embedded counting of the ordinal numbers up to ten, is also of a high frequency and quality, as in:
"With a stripy shoulder shimmy, yelling out for more,
Five funky tigers fandango on the floor."
Aside from all the built in vocabulary related to dancing and movement, it would also be a great way to teach young children about animals and/or how to illustrate them. More advanced art lessons could focus on movement, as there are plenty of great animal moves caught in the pages by illustrator Emily Bolam.
Altogether, this is a great book worthy of any early childhood educator or parent's use, but especially for those focused on the above-mentioned literary elements and on using literature to get children up and moving.
The text by Vic Parker is written in rhyming couplets that are full of figurative language, alliteration and onomatopoeia. Take the first lines of the story as an example of Parker's use of colloquial language:
"Deep in the forest there's a thumping, bumping sound,
A drumming and a humming, a stomping on the ground.
The pumping rumpus rhythm takes control of both your feet
And suddenly you find yourself getting with the beat."
The alliteration, with embedded counting of the ordinal numbers up to ten, is also of a high frequency and quality, as in:
"With a stripy shoulder shimmy, yelling out for more,
Five funky tigers fandango on the floor."
Aside from all the built in vocabulary related to dancing and movement, it would also be a great way to teach young children about animals and/or how to illustrate them. More advanced art lessons could focus on movement, as there are plenty of great animal moves caught in the pages by illustrator Emily Bolam.
Altogether, this is a great book worthy of any early childhood educator or parent's use, but especially for those focused on the above-mentioned literary elements and on using literature to get children up and moving.
February 8, 2011
Beararobics is a cute book about learning how to count and dancing animals. This is a great book to read to any children, especially those who like to dance or count.
The story is told in 3rd person, where the narroator is outside the story watching. I think that it would be a good idea if there was a small child in the story and that able to dance and experience the story to tell. Children could relate with the little kid more than they can aniamals.
The figurative language was great in this book! There was rhyming on each page to make it delightful to read about each animal. Plus, they are counting at the same time, which makes it more predictable for children and makes it fun to read along. finally, the book uses a great amount of adjectives to describe the anmails or the dancing. Children could really learn alot from this book.
The setting is important in this book because if has to do with wild animals. We have bears, kangroos, snakes, tigers, ostriches, ect, so that means that the setting must be out in the wild. It would not be the same if the setting was in the city, and would not make sense. The author did a good job of putting the animals out in the wild.
The story is told in 3rd person, where the narroator is outside the story watching. I think that it would be a good idea if there was a small child in the story and that able to dance and experience the story to tell. Children could relate with the little kid more than they can aniamals.
The figurative language was great in this book! There was rhyming on each page to make it delightful to read about each animal. Plus, they are counting at the same time, which makes it more predictable for children and makes it fun to read along. finally, the book uses a great amount of adjectives to describe the anmails or the dancing. Children could really learn alot from this book.
The setting is important in this book because if has to do with wild animals. We have bears, kangroos, snakes, tigers, ostriches, ect, so that means that the setting must be out in the wild. It would not be the same if the setting was in the city, and would not make sense. The author did a good job of putting the animals out in the wild.
October 16, 2012
This is a very fun book for counting and sequencing books. This is also fun for students to imitate and also be able to have the opportunity to move around, dance, and count at the same time! The concept of this book is magical for students around Pre-K through kindergarten. Even allowing the students to move with a certain number may help them remember the sequence of numbers! Great, and fun read!
December 29, 2007
A counting story that rhymes all the way through. A fun rhythm is presented throughout the book as well.
October 6, 2011
Part counting book and all rhythmic, this title shows different animals dancing to the bearobics beat. Children will love this lively and enjoyable story.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews