There, There

by Tim Beiser, Bill Slavin (Illustrations)

For fans of Penguin Problems and A Birthday for Bear, the story of a whiny rabbit pushing a patient bear to the end of his tether and learning a lesson in looking on the bright side.

Do you ever feel like everything is terrible? Like nothing is ever right and you just want to hide under your pillow? Well Rabbit does, and he's not shy about sharing it. He whines, he complains, he moans, he grumps... until Bear has had enough and decides it's time for Rabbit to learn to appreciate what he has. Using nothing but the lowly common earthworm as an example, he teaches Rabbit a lesson about taking things for granted. Something the worm knows all about...

Written in charming verse and featuring a delightfully domestic bear and a very surly rabbit, There, There is a fantastic tongue-in-cheek riff on the idea that "it could be worse..."

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

24 pages, Hardcover

First published June 6, 2017

Reviews

[Sandra · Rating 2 out of 5]

The illustrations are amazing, but I didn't enjoy the story. The first part was funny, with Hare complaining about the rain, the food, and everything, but I hate when Bear uses a worm to show Hare what a good life he has, and how it could be worse, like the way a worm lives is worse. Why looking the worm down this way? It is a worm after all, and lives like worms live. I found that sad, and not a positive message.

I received this copy from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

[Dani ❤️ Perspective of a Writer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Check out more Picture book reviews @ Perspective of a Writer...

There's no other way to say it, Hare is a whiner, he complains about every bad that happens in the grumpiest way possible. Bear, his friend and roommate is very patient and enduring, only saying There, There... until one day he's had enough, he drags Hare out to the mud for a lesson with the humblest of earthworms.

I was attracted to the illustrations in this book right away. They have a richness that make them jump off the page. Perfect for kids who are used to cartoons and poppy colors. My favorite spreads were the ones with the worm, it was so unexpected the pictures just spoke to you. He always chooses a frame to draw himself and I was really surprised he chose the one with the two friends returning home.

I have the unique opportunity to share this book with the target audience, my nephew. He really liked the pictures too and he especially loved the worm, eww! I don't know that he got the point of the story though... we talked about the two being friends and was disgusted that hare was so miserable when he had a friend in bear.

With an eye-roll said our bear, "How you suffer so. There, there!"

The message of the story is to look on the bright side and think about the blessings you do have, things can always get worse. I thought some of the things hare complained about were pretty horrible myself like the rotten foods. There is this element of friendship though where you need to speak up if you are struggling too and that is what bear showed us. Speak up and keep your friendship intact!

I don't know that I would have rated this book 4 star if not for the earthworm. That was an unexpected way to take the story and funny to boot.

BOTTOM LINE: Loved the worm, haha...

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

______________________
You can find this review and many others on my book blog @ Perspective of a Writer. See my picture book reviews in a special feature called Boo's Picture Gallery...

[Kris (My Novelesque Life) · Rating 3 out of 5]

RATING: 4 STARS
(I received an ARC from the NETGALLEY)
(Review Not on Blog)

A grumpy Hare, and a understanding friend, Bear, what could be cuter? As Hare complains about everything, Bear tries to show him what he should be grateful for. I love the illustrations but the story is just okay.

[Rachel · Rating 3 out of 5]

A book about a pessimistic Hare and an optimistic Bear. Hare is a grump, he doesn't like the rain and he's upset it has lasted for days. Bear is Hare's friend, who tries to console him. However, Bear becomes fed up with Hare's negativity and drags him into the rain outside, to show him his life isn't as terrible as he thinks.

This was a cute picture book.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for an ARC.

[Linda · Rating 4 out of 5]

A rabbit spends most of its time with a grouchy attitude, and the sympathetic bear consoles with "There, there." Too much is too much, however, and the bear's patience wears thin until a lesson needs to be learned, but at the expense of a worm. It's a funny story that will bring good conversation and interesting looks at the full-page illustrations. Both the rabbit's and the bear's expressions are ones you can feel yourself doing as you read the story and look at the pictures.

[Dawn · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love the illustrations in this story! The rabbit is hilarious and the bear really tries hard to help the rabbit look on the bright side. But just like anyone, he gets tired of things too. Then along comes an innocent worm who's just living his life and thinks things are fine and it gets pointed out that his life really sucks - but he doesn't agree! Funny and a great book on looking on the bright side of things.

[Becky Loader · Rating 2 out of 5]

I loved the illustrations, but the story didn't thrill me.

[Bryan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Everyone needs to practice a little patience.

[Ash · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is a fair book, but for sure not a favorite to add to the home-shelf.

The premise is a good one. Hare is whiny and upset because his friend Bear and he are stuck inside. Hare starts looking for things to be upset about (though the moldy carrots that he finds under the sink would probably upset me as well), and at first Bear consoles him saying, “there, there.” After going through this same scenario again and again Bear gets fed up, and goes about showing Hare a life much worse than their own, and then Hare comes to his senses.

When written out like that, I think I’d really like to read this book, but the execution wasn’t quite right. Before getting into the nitty-gritty, I’ll say my biggest issue was the writing style, and that is one of the top things I look at no matter the book.

Rating a children’s book is a bit different than rating an adult book. I have a few basic things that I look at on top of how enjoyable it was to read, though I find that most books with all of these key elements have a tendency to be more enjoyable than those without.

Readability: Now, not every book has to be a one or two sentence per page type book, with mostly sight words. My 5-year-old daughter really enjoys books that are lengthier, and we usually have a chapter book we read from every night along with her picture books. In other words it doesn’t have to be something SHE has to be able to read easily, but it does have to be something that I can read easily.

The issue with readability in this book was the rhyming scheme. I know some people liked it, but it was really hard for me to get into, and where I usually like doing voices for these types of books even that was a challenge. This book did not have a good flow. I actually feel this story would have been stronger without the rhyming, and I probably would have rated it higher. It’s OK to write a children’s book without rhymes. This book has a good enough message that it was unneeded anyway, especially since in my opinion it was done poorly.

Storyline: You’d be amazed how many children’s books are out there with a storyline that isn’t appropriate for kids, or storylines that aren’t good in general. Books that make you wonder why they were written in the first place.

This book for sure has a good message, though I felt it was really heavy-handed, and it got old fast. Hare became obnoxious, and I even caught my daughter’s interest start to wane. This isn’t a super long book, but it started to feel like it was.

Storyline feeds into being relatable as well. As in, if the child can grasp the moral of the story and whatnot. I don’t think that was an issue here; as long as you could keep your child interested long enough to get to the moral.

Artwork: I wasn’t super impressed with the artwork either. I don’t know that there was anything really wrong with it; I just didn’t care for it. The hare looks like a pretty rough and scraggly character, and I probably would have tried for a different aesthetic myself.

In the end the idea was there, and it has a good message, one that a lot of adults could take into mind as well. I suppose if I knew someone with a child that was as big of a brat as the hare in this story I miiiiight suggest this book, but probably not. It’s just an ok, meh, kind of book. Nothing real special about it.

**I was given a copy of this book through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review**

[Kendall · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great little story about appreciating what you have. Bear is the patient, consoling friend to Hare, an unhappy rabbit who complains about everything--but even Bear has his limits on patience and understanding and decides to teach Hare a lesson in gratefulness by making him aware of the positive things around him. The illustrations are adorable and funny and I really loved how the message was presented without being too serious...even Worm found something positive at the end. Pun intended.
(Received as an ARC from Netgalley)

[Beyond the Pages with Eva K · Rating 3 out of 5]

There, There was a beautifully illustrated story about two friends with a glass half empty and glass half full type of relationship. The hare hemmed and hawed, complaining about everything, while the bear tried to offer quiet support and encouragement to a friend in need. I really liked how this book seemed to offer a deeper lesson on attitude and perspective. This book would make a wonderful read aloud for family time. I believe it would facilitate a rich discussion.

Source: NetGalley

[Cosette · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you have to read a children’s picture book aloud, I recommend this one.

[Sharon Tyler · Rating 2 out of 5]

There, There by Tim Beiser is a picture book currently scheduled for release on June 6 2017. Do you ever feel like everything is terrible? Like nothing is ever right and you just want to hide under your pillow? Well Rabbit does, and he's not shy about sharing it. He whines, he complains, he moans, he grumps... until Bear has had enough and decides it's time for Rabbit to learn to appreciate what he has. Using nothing but the lowly common earthworm as an example, he teaches Rabbit a lesson about taking things for granted. Something the worm knows all about.

There, There is a picturebook intending to ease the complaining and whining that many partake in. I think the message is presented well and the art is nice, but it just never blew me away. I think many people resort to complaining about anything and everything that is not to their liking. I will admit to being guilty on occasion myself. The majority of the book is Rabbit complaining about everything and Bear brushing off the complaints until he shows Rabbit how much worse of Worm has it than him. I found the notion of what felt like putting down Worm or his lifestyle a little unsettling. I think the lesson would have been better served by pointing out the good things about Rabbit and his life rather than looking down on Worm's. When I first read it it irked me, but I find that the more I think about it the more unhappy I am with it.

[Wayne McCoy · Rating 4 out of 5]

'There, There' by Tim Beiser with illustrations by Bill Slavin is a picture book about a fretting bunny and his patient friend Bear.

Hare is at Bear's house to play, and they had planned to play outside, but it is raining. Hare is bored and complaining. Bear is sympathetic. Hare continues to complain, while Bear bakes and offers more sympathy. This continues until Bear's patience is stretched thin, then an object lesson is in order to show Hare that things could be worse. Will Hare learn to be grateful?

I liked the illustrations in this book. The coloring is earth toned, and there are interesting textures painted onto the pages. Hare is funny in an overdramatic way. Bear is patient, but his patience is not endless. I like the lesson of being happy with what you've got. Young children would enjoy this silly read aloud book.

I received a review copy of this ebook from Tundra Books, Penguin Random House Canada, and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you for allowing me to review this ebook.

[Anita · Rating 3 out of 5]

There, There is a gorgeously illustrated picture book with this simple message: appreciate what you have, especially kind friends. Hare throws a seemingly endless hissy fit about having his day ruined because of the rain. His friend, Bear, offers sympathy (there, there) until he can take it no more. Bear drags Hare outside, digs up a worm, and tells him that life could be worse, just look at poor Earthworm. Hare learns to be grateful and sees the day from a new perspective. After expressing his hurt feelings at being insulted and roughed-up, Earthworm is comforted by his "friend" which is really his own back end.

Parents who want to talk with their children about gratefulness will find There, There an excellent opening to that conversation. The only drawback of this book is that Bear uses someone else to say, "At least you don't have it as bad as this guy." Bear seems like the kind of character who would apologize to Earthworm. (NetGalley provided a digital copy in exchange for an honest review.)

[Stephanie (ITakePicturesOfBooks) · Rating 3 out of 5]

~Disclaimer~
I received this book for free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This in no way affected my opinion of the book, or the content of my review.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

This book is about a hare who has to stay inside because it is raining outside. He spends so much time complaining about being inside that he isn't even trying to do fun things with Bear. Finally Bear becomes fed up and shows Hare that he doesn't have it worse off than most other people/animals.
This is a good book to read with a child that is always complaining about things. Instead of throwing yourself a pity party you should try and make the best of a situation. This book will teach a child to be more grateful for what you have. Other people are going through worse things than you are at the moment. I enjoyed the rhyming and the illustrations.


3/5 ⭐

[Susan · Rating 5 out of 5]

As half the work of a picture book is the illustrations, this book’s textured, rich acrylic pictures, kept me turning the pages, again and again. I was not familiar with Bill Slavin‘s books, but I’m reading them now. A Canadian artist, he’s won numerous awards.

The text, written in well-done rhyme also pulled me in. The story features a whiney rabbit who complains of just about everything, and a patient bear who accepts his friend’s quirks up to a point. Tired of all his complaining, he marches his friend out and show’s him an earthworm who spends all his time in dirt, has no arms or legs and gets happy when he mistakes his own rear end for a friend! Fortunately, rabbit gets it, and suddenly the day turns warm. But the worm, tossed into the dirt was insulted! The story ends on a humorous note in perfect rhyme.

A fresh story with a good lesson.

(Originally published in Books for the Curious Child)

[Sandy Brehl · Rating 4 out of 5]

There are many great things to say about this book, the strongest of which is Bear's visual narrative that plays out in contrast to the whiny, grumpy text and POV from Hare. This could work especially well with a preschooler or other naturally negative kiddo. It also models the truism that some see the glass half empty while others see it has half full. Or, as bear would suggest, a miserable day for playing outside could be the perfect day for baking muffins/cupcakes.
It also illustrates that even the most patient of friends (family) have their limits.

Picture book endings fall into several categories, and in this one it is the "twist" approach that works so well. It was a delight that the worm took offense after being used as an example of having a "miserable" life, but even better when the final "There, there," offered a laugh-out-loud visual page-turn-twist.

[Lindsey Lawntea · Rating 2 out of 5]

It’s a rainy day and Hare is unhappy. Bear gets annoyed by Hare’s complaints and drags him out to see that there are animals who have it worse.

I did not like the message of this book at all. Yes, being grateful for what you have is important. But it is not healthy to teach a child that their feelings “don’t matter” because someone else has it worse or because their feelings are inconveniencing someone else. It is much healthier to teach them that they are not bad for having feelings. Bear was a pretty fair-weather friend and he wasn’t very nice to Worm, either. I give this book a pass.

Note: I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley. I was not compensated in any other fashion for the review and the opinions reflected below are entirely my own. Special thanks to the publisher and author for providing the copy.

[Liz · Rating 4 out of 5]

We all have rainy days where it feels like nothing is going our way. In There, There, Hare is having one of those days. It’s raining, Hare is bored, he stubs his toe on a chair, the day seems like it just can’t get any worse. Luckily, Hare has his good Bear with him to provide a calming “there, there.” When soothing words don’t work, Bear helps provide a little perspective to bring Hare out of his bad mood.

There, There is a humorous story with a lesson built in—when you feel low, remember that things might be worse for someone else. It is a great book to use to help bring kids out of dramatic moods and remind them to think of others.

[Heather · Rating 4 out of 5]

In this story all rabbit does is complain and even very patient bear has had enough. We especially liked the worm in this story and he got us all laughing!
This book had wonderful rhymes that were not predictable and the illustrations were great. My youngest students were very engaged with the story and were able to tell me that the story made them think about focusing on what they have and being grateful.
This would make a read aloud for the whole family.

* I was provided a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

[Sheri · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rainy weather and a friend who is so unhappy about staying inside can really be a problem. The bear in the story is trying to keep things upbeat and entertain his friend but things just go from bad to worse. The illustrations and the facial expressions are hilarious in this story. And the poor earthworm who is brought in at the end is so funny and finally the rabbit gets it when the rain stops and the bear drives his point home. I think this is a good read aloud and kids would love the story. This author has humor down pat.

[Magy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rabbit is a whiner! And even understanding, supportive friends like Bear eventually get fed up with all that complaining. Using an earthworm as an example, Bear helps Rabbit see how good Rabbit's life is in comparison to the little earthworm's life.

Written in verse the pace, pictures, and humor of There, There will make it an instant favorite for kids and adults alike.

*A copy of this book was provided free of charge for an honest review.

[Melissa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hare is sick of being stuck inside on a rainy day and complains about everything! Bear attempts to be empathetic but his patience finally wears thin. So Bear drags Hare outside and teaches him a valuable lesson about being grateful with what you have..with a hilarious twist :-) I think every child has been Hare at some point, and hopefully young readers can take a look around and appreciate all they have. The illustrations were colorful and bit funny looking and full of fun details.

[Rose Rosetree · Rating 5 out of 5]

Has anybody you know been taking good things for granted?

Here's the cure, in picture book form, courtesy of Bear when pushed past his usual limits.

Quite the emotional rollercoaster of a story, including:

- One whiny pity party
- A sweet-tempered bear, pushed almost beyond endurance
- And a worm whose life is so lonely that:

"When he meets his own rear end,
He mistakes it for a friend."

FIVE STARS to Tim Beiser and Bill Slavin.

[ʕᵔᴥᵔʔ · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a fun book to read. A nice rhyming story about a bear and a hare who have to spend the day inside. The hare is grumpy and making life miserable, while the bear is attempting to have a good day. I loved it and would read it again to my children.

The illustrations are adorable too, loved the bear and the earthworm.

[Lindsey Roath · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a wonderful story! Everyone needs the reminder to be grateful for what they have and this is an excellent look at walking in someone else's shoes and being careful what you say.

The pictures are beautiful and can speak to any audience. I think it's particularly lovely for parents to remember when our kiddos have "those" days.

[Jessi · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's rainy outside and Rabbit has a case of the grumps. Bear is trying to cheer him up but isn't having much luck. At least, until he drags Rabbit outside and shows him the life of a worm.
The verse this is written in is a little hard to follow. And I didn't love this story. But the illustrations are fun and it's a cute book.

[Mary · Rating 3 out of 5]

The rhyming pattern in this book is quite delightful. A bunny is upset by the seemingly ceaseless rain and can't seem to think about anything else. Bear keeps saying "there, there" in response, finally comparing their lives to that of an earthworm. The illustrations are detailed and well laid out, although the text itself is somewhat small, making it hard to read with the textured backgrounds.

[Emily · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book! The illustrations are charming and the story was adorable. My favorite part was the last page. I did not expect it but it made the whole book more memorable and enjoyable. Thank you to NetGalley for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review.