A Bedtime for Bear

Bear and Mouse #3

by Bonny Becker, Kady MacDonald Denton (Illustrator)

“Denton’s ink and watercolor illustrations ably express the dry humor of Becker’s dialogue and personifications, which make this a bedtime standout.” —  Publishers Weekly (starred review)

Bear must have absolute quiet when he goes to bed. But the effervescent Mouse, small and gray and bright-eyed, finds it terribly hard to be as quiet as a . . . well, you know. With masterfully paced slapstick humor, droll repartee, and comic visual details, the curmudgeonly Bear and his irrepressible friend Mouse return in another wry adventure.

Genres: Picture Books, Childrens, Animals, Friendship, Storytime, Fiction, Humor

48 pages, Paperback

First published September 14, 2010

About the author

Bonny Becker is the author of a number of award-winning picture books and middle-grade novels. She lives in Seattle.

Reviews

[La Coccinelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Bedtime for Bear is more about friendship than the synopsis would lead one to believe. You might think that this is a story about Mouse being annoying and preventing Bear from going to sleep, and it is... at first. But then, when Bear hears a noise, we see how good of a friend Mouse really is; he checks under the bed and behind the curtains and in the closet, and when Bear suggests that Mouse might benefit from a story to calm his nerves, Mouse readily agrees (even though the reader can clearly see that all of this reassurance is for Bear's benefit). It's a really sweet story.

The illustrations are pretty cute, with great expressions on the characters' faces. My only complaint is that the writing is a bit clunky in places. Other than that, though, this is a great bedtime picture book.

Quotable moment:

[Almira · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this today at story time..... When the children started to get noisy, I just started reading in a very quiet voice, after all that is what Bear insists on at bedtime, and the children settled down and listened.
I think the parents enjoyed it just as much as the children.

You see, Bear has forgotten that he invited Mouse over to spend the night, he calmly gives in, all the while reminding Mouse that there are certain things that must be followed, especially "QUIET" at bedtime, and as quiet as Mouse tries to be, well, Bear has VERY sensitive hearing..... When Mouse finally falls asleep, Bear hears noises that he is positive Mouse is making, poor Mouse, awakened by a very noisy Bear...…..

[Kaethe · Rating 5 out of 5]

#18 in my 365 Kids Books challenge and request to GoodReads that the Top Readers, etc. lists be fixed. For a full explanation see my review for 101 Amazing Facts about Australia You can see all the books on their own shelf.

Each one of these I read, I become more fond of. Mouse is such a kind and thoughtful friend. And Bear is such a jerk. Of course, we are all jerks sometimes. Still I want to see Bear do something really thoughtful for Mouse, or be the kind friend when Mouse is a jerk. But also, I just want to see the two of them together in the lovely watercolor world.

Library copy

[Suzy Davies · Rating 5 out of 5]

I adore this book! Wonderful to read out loud. Whimsical. Perfect flowing sentences with rhythm and cadences. Mmm. Altogether, as nice as mice. And as good to share as a story about a very lovable bear.

Suzy Davies, Author, "Snugs The Snow Bear"

[Christine · Rating 3 out of 5]

Beautiful illustrations.

[Moonkiszt · Rating 3 out of 5]

Featured in grandma reads session.

This starts out as a typical bedtime book, but bear's bedtime habits get interfered with when his friend mouse does an overnighter. You know, you've had it happen - when that friend who just wants to talk the night away never shuts up, and they brush their teeth weirdly, make odd sounds as they begin to settle in, and then DON'T settle in, they wanna talk again. . . . .and then they fall asleep but you can't now. . .then you hear something, wake them up and . . . it starts all over.

Eventually they both fall to bed and sleep. The kids chuckled and muttered amongst each other about their overnighter experiences and that home really is the best place to sleep, you know, where everything is normal. Their kind of normal.

[Abigail · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mouse knows best once again in this third entertaining picture-book chronicling the friendship between that irrepressible bundle of murine charm and his rather persnickety, somewhat curmudgeonly ursine friend, Bear. Bear, who likes his bedtime to be just so - sleeping cap positioned just right, glass of water in the correct place, and most of all: absolute silence - finds the presence of Mouse disturbing, on the night of their first sleepover. After the predictable conflicts over noise, it is Mouse who gets to sleep first, only to be awakened by Bear, who thinks he's heard something in the dark. Clever Mouse finds a way to reassure his friend, all while letting him save face, and pretend that it is Mouse who is fearful...

Like the previous two titles in this series, A Visitor for Bear and A Birthday for Bear , A Bedtime for Bear pairs a delightfully perceptive tale from American author Bonny Becker with amusing, expressive artwork from Canadian illustrator Kady MacDonald Denton. This "odd couple friendship" tale-type seems quite popular right now in the world of picture-books - one need only think of Jory John and Benji Davies' Goodnight Already! and its sequels, for a prominent example - but Becker and Denton are the masters in the field. Somehow they always manage to create a confection of a picture-book, one that reduces me to helpless giggling at times, but also manages to be quite heartwarming. Denton's watercolor, ink and gouache illustrations capture the slyly humorous back-and-forth between the two characters perfectly, while the text maintains the ideal pacing, keeping the reader engaged. Recommended to anyone who has read and enjoyed other stories about Bear and Mouse, and to anyone looking for picture-books featuring unlikely friendships.

[Sweet on Books · Rating 4 out of 5]

Reclusive, persnickety Bear is back, and so is his other half, sunny and persistent Mouse. For those of you new to Bear and Mouse adventures, all I can say is lucky you! "A Bedtime for Bear" is the third collaboration that brings back this hilarious odd couple. In this installment, Bear has invited Mouse over for a sleepover - let the games begin!

Bear (unsurprisingly) needs things "just so" in order to fall asleep. Mouse, on the other had, is curious about all things and has LOADS of questions. Finally, just when Bear thinks he is going to lose his mind, Mouse falls asleep. Bear begins to relax, but what is that he hears? What is that rustle? Bear finds himself very much awake and afraid and has to wake Mouse up for a little comfort. And not a moment too soon. As always, Bear comes around to realizing that having a friend present is always better than being alone with your rigid routine.

Becker does it again. She has written a brilliantly amusing story for children that doesn't condescend. Her humor is sophisticated and so is the vocabulary she has chosen. The illustrations are fantastic, Bear and Mouse absolutely embody their personalities in these pictures. My five year old adores this book and all of the Bear and Mouse adventures (see below for the others). These books are definitely worth purchasing and having on your bookshelf at home for many shared readings.

[Alicia · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love the personality of these two characters. The dialogue makes for a great readaloud. Children who keep their parents up at night will recognize bear's frustration, but everyone will find amusement in the situation.

[Renn · Rating 4 out of 5]

“Everything had to be just so for Bear’s bedtime... his favorite pillow must be nicely fluffed. His nightcap needed to be snug. Most of all, it had to be quiet—very, very quiet.”

Bear’s bedtime routine is thrown off by the arrival of his friend Mouse for a sleepover. Bear does his best to stick to his normal routine, but Mouse is just too loud! But once Mouse is settled into bed, Bear has a new problem: he is scared of the creaking noises he hears in the dark. Thankfully, he has Mouse to help him check for monsters and keep him company.

I can definitely relate to Bear. I am someone who needs things to be “just so” in order to fall asleep. Sometimes I don’t do well with interruptions in my routine, just like Bear. But that’s okay. It’s a good thing that there are people like Mouse in the world who put up with our nonsense without judgement, and help accommodate our needs as best as they can.

[m · Rating 5 out of 5]

anna fell asleep very fast to this one. long enough to read to sleep but short enough as to not wake her. good content for various voices and whispers and taps to help her sleep. i liked looking at the little pictures too!

[Emery · Rating 5 out of 5]

Library book

[Ellyn (Mrs. Darcy in my Dreams) · Rating 3 out of 5]

I wanted to test out the read aloud feature on my Libby app. Wish I had had this option when my kids were young!!

[Robyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Adorably cute and beautifully illustrated!

4 stars

Happy Reading!

[Martha · Rating 4 out of 5]

In A Bedtime for Bear, Bear and Mouse share their first eventful sleepover together. As usual curmudgeonly Bear needs everything "just right." After an entertaining game of checkers with Mouse, they retire to Bear's bedroom. Bear fluffs his pillow, dons a nightcap and drinks his glass of water before settling into his big comfy bed. On his night table, a shelf is opened, transformed into a matching comfy bed for Mouse. Every sound Mouse makes annoys melodramatic Bear. When Mouse falls fast asleep, Bear continues to hear sounds. Mouse comes to the rescue once again, searching for the imaginary culprit who is making the sounds, to calm down his friend. The last page has Mouse wearing earmuffs to drown out Bears LOUD snoring. Another winner about friendship and sleep overs.

[Michaela Baillie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This story is about a bear who is very picky about his bedtime. He has a house guest, a mouse, and bear is very worried that his peace and quiet will be disturbed. In the end, we learn that sometimes the biggest bear can be afraid of the smallest noises and needs a mouse to save the day, or night. I would probably use this book in a K or 1st grade class. It is a cute story and can be used as a reminder that there are times where everyone is scared.

[Crissy · Rating 4 out of 5]

We like bear and mouse. :)

[Tony Parsons · Rating 5 out of 5]

Everting had to be in its right place before Bear could go to bed at night.
1-night Bear heard a knocking at his front door.
It was his friend Mouse (grey). It wasn’t his normal night to stay, but Bear said it was OK.
Bear did his evening ritual, but Mouse was making noise brushing his teeth.
Bear was getting quite annoyed with Mouse.

What happened then?

I do not receive any type of compensation for reading & reviewing free books from publishers & authors. Therefore, I am under no obligation to write a positive review, only an honest one.

An awesome book cover, great hand-drawn black & white or colored pictures, charming illustrations & proper font & writing style. A very professionally written children’s (preschool/elementary age) animal adventure storybook. It was quite easy for me to read/follow from start/finish & never a dull moment. There were no grammar/typo errors, nor any repetitive or out of line sequence sentences. Lots of exciting scenarios, with several twists/turns & a great set of unique characters, settings, etc. to keep track of. This could also make another great animal adventure movie, an animated cartoon, or better yet a mini-TV series. There is no doubt in my mind this is an extremely easy rating of 5 stars.

Thank you for the free author(s); Candlewick Press; FreeBooksy; Amazon Digital Services LLC.; book
Tony Parsons MSW (Washburn)

[Iztok · Rating 5 out of 5]

K medvedu, ki je navajen spati sam se povabi mala drobcena siva miška. Skupaj igrata damo in pijeta kakav nato pa se odpravita v posteljo. Medved sicer opravi svojo spalno rutino, a ga miškine priprave na spanje vržejo povsem iz tira. Ne more zaspati, povsod sliši glasove in škripanje. Zbudi miško in miška sama od sebe preveri, če se kje skriva kaj nezaželjenega. Nato medved pove miški pravljico in skupaj utoneta v prijeten spanec.

Slikanica ima čudovite ilustracije in ne pretirano moralistično zgodbo o temu, da kompromisi niso slaba stvar in da nam lahko prijatelji pomagajo, ko smo prestrašeni in sami. Redno na sporedu. Naši dvoletnici, ki je trenutno v fazi, ko vse knjige bere 'sama' je dovolj zanimiva, da potrpi do konca.

Ali bi knjigo kupil za domačo knjižnico? DA

[michelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bear is seriously set in his ways. When he goes to bed, everything must be in its place and there must be absolute silence. When Mouse comes to sleep over, bear isn't sure how it is going to work. They have a blast playing games and hanging out, but when it is time to go to bed, Mouse makes too much noise and Bear explodes. Mouse apologizes and goes to sleep, but now Bear is noticing noises he never had before and wakes mouse up because he is scared. With a knowing smile, mouse helps Bear get back to sleep.

A great book for the K-2 crowd. Compromising and sharing spaces can be hard. Adjusting to new ways of doing things is hard. Sometimes we just need a friend to help us get through the change.

[Sarah Alamer · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a wonderful job reading "A Bedtime for Bear!" We're so proud of you! You learned that being a good friend means being patient and caring, just like Mouse was with Bear. Even when someone is grumpy or difficult, we can still show them kindness. You can use this when your friends are having bad days - you can be patient like Mouse! Your reading is getting so much better, and we love seeing you discover these important lessons about friendship and caring for others.

[Kathleen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Poor Bear needs everything perfect still and quiet to fall asleep. Even his friend mouse brushing his teeth is too loud for bear. Luckily mouse is very clever and knows how to help his friend fall asleep. Clever and funny, and will need a reader who knows how to whisper and to shout - making it all the more interactive for the kiddos.

[Ellon · Rating 2 out of 5]

I think that the grumpy bear is supposed to be funny but he just comes off as a jerk. I’m not sure why it’s funny in the Bruce series and not really funny here. I did think it was cute when bear was scared and trying to act like he was doing this to help mouse calm down even though mouse wasn’t scared.

[Abby Peskin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mouse comes over to visit bear for a slumber party, and bear is very specific about not making a noise at bedtime. Try as he might, however, mouse still makes small noises that drive bear crazy and make it more difficult for him to sleep. Will they be able to find a compromise so they can both sleep soundly?

[Lagobond · Rating 4 out of 5]

A most adorable and witty story with pitch-perfect illustrations. Bear needs just the right conditions for his bedtime, and his little mousey visitor is really messing up his routine... or is he?

This one was a hit with the adults, but we decided not to introduce the kids to it, for fear of introducing additional bedtime neuroses ;)

[Catriona Lovett · Rating 5 out of 5]

Bear and Mouse Are Friends

I say this because it seems to be the most important underlying message. The two like different things at bedtime and at first, it seemed that they'd never get along, but then it all works out...because they're friends! I liked the message and so did my grandson. The pictures were cute and funny, too.

[Moriyah Cordova · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another marvelous book from Bonny Becker. I loved seeing the friendship between Bear and Mouse (it was also quite funny). This is the perfect book to read to your child before bedtime (or nap time).

[Kelly · Rating 3 out of 5]

The story was okay. It's a bedtime story highlighting a bear and a mouse. But right about in the middle I feel like I missed several pages - the story makes a major skip. Strange. But it was a nice story.

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

The third book in the Bear and Mouse series is very reminiscent of the first two. I think Mouse is still a manipulative character, but it's not manipulative to a bad point or anything like that. I find it funny that Bear is always persuaded in the end by Mouse.

[Lizz Pippin · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this for family reading night. The pictures are great for a story time activity but the print can be small and difficult to read. The story itself is a lot of fun. I had a ton of fun reading the story and thought it fit well for the event. It also makes for a great bedtime story.