Bear's Scare

by Jacob Grant

This adorable, quirky board book features a charming odd-couple friendship and is perfect for fans of Peter Brown and Greg Pizzoli.

Bear likes to keep his house clean and tidy. In fact, the only thing Bear loves more than cleaning is taking care of his small stuffed friend, Ursa.

Then Bear sees a sticky spiderweb . . . and where there's a web there is certainly a spider! The messy guest must be found, but what Bear and Ursa finally discover might just be an unlikely friend.

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

40 pages, Board Book

First published June 12, 2018

About the author

Hello! I’m Jacob Grant and I make picture books. Absurd and heartfelt picture books.

Originally from Ohio, I now live in Chicago with my wife and one very busy child. When not wrangling this little force of nature, I can be found in my home studio drawing, painting and writing until something feels story-ish. With a bit of luck, some of this mess gets made into books!

Author and Illustrator of:
BEAR'S SCARE Bloomsbury 2018
THROUGH WITH THE ZOO Feiwel & Friends 2017
CAT KNIT Feiwel & Friends 2016
LITTLE BIRD'S BAD WORD Feiwel & Friends 2015
SCAREDY KATE Barron’s 2014

Illustrator of:
OWLS ARE GOOD AT KEEPING SECRETS Penguin Random House 2018

Please feel free to contact me with any questions or just to say hi.

Reviews

[Mim_farahani · Rating 3 out of 5]

عنوان ترجمه فارسی:
از چی می‌ترسی آقا خرسه؟

قصه زندگی یک عنکبوت در خانه‌ی یک آقا‌خرسه‌ی بسیار تمیز!

[Abigail · Rating 3 out of 5]

A tidy housekeeper with an eye for detail, Bear kept his home immaculate, enjoying the cleaning process, and caring for his stuffed friend, Ursa. One day, he found a spider-web, and was thrown into a bit of a panic, as he began to notice webs proliferating everywhere. Searching high and low for this unwelcome guest, Bear made quite a mess himself, injuring Ursa in the process. Then the arachnid interloper proved that spiders could make very good friends indeed...

Having greatly enjoyed author/illustrator Jacob Grant's earlier picture-book, Cat Knit , I was eager to pick up this latest offering. All in all, I found Bear's Scare quite a winsome book, pairing as it does an engaging story with appealing artwork. As with his earlier title, I thought the artwork here was quite droll, capturing Bear's somewhat fussy nature, and his panicked response to unwelcome stimuli, quite well. I'm not the greatest fan of spiders myself, but I appreciated the message here about not judging based on appearances, and finding friends in unlikely places. Recommended to anyone looking for children's stories about making new friends and/or accepting a little chaos in our world.

[Ria · Rating 5 out of 5]

Een beer, een knuffeltje, een spinnetje. Meer is niet nodig voor een groot thema: vriendschap.
Bij de eerste blik op dit boek krijg je direct een warm gevoel. Sfeervolle, overzichtelijke en mooie illustraties met humor en veel oog voor detail.

De eerste zin ‘Beer wist een heleboel dingen zeker’, doet vermoeden dat er iets is wat Beer niet weet. Beer is altijd erg netjes op al zijn spullen en poetst met knuffel Beertje iedere dag zijn hele huis.
Totdat hij iets vreemds kleverigs ontdekt en dat nog wel aan een boek. Overal zitten tot zijn schrik spinnenwebben. Beer vindt dat een groot probleem en het vooroordeel wordt al snel geuit dat een spin alles vies en rommelig maakt zonder dat Beer hem ooit ontmoet heeft.
Beer zoekt en zoekt naar die spin, gooit alles op z’n kop totdat er iets vreselijks met Beertje gebeurt en de onverwachte, of beter de ongenode, gast zich van een lieve behulpzame kant laat zien. Hoe zal Beer dan denken over Spinnetje? Wat is er belangrijk in het leven?

Een bijzonder mooi vormgegeven prentenboek met een universeel thema dat je blijft voorlezen en waarin iedere keer een nieuw detailgrapje is te ontdekken. De tekst leest vloeiend voor en heeft een goede typografie.

Dit prentenboek is een grote liefdevolle aanrader voor ieders prentenboek top tien. Een topper in zijn eenvoud. Je gaat houden van dit grappige spinnetje! En natuurlijk van Beer en knuffel Beertje. Dé cadeautip voor de feestmaand en verjaardagen van peuters en kleuters.

[E.A. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh goodness. This was THE cutest thing. The illustrations are superb and the storyline is really cute! I’d say this hits the mark for a children’s story!

———
I received a free copy of this book from the publisher and was under no obligation to review it. I do so under my own volition!

[Gita · Rating 4 out of 5]

عنوان فارسی: از چی می‌ترسی آقا خرسه؟
مترجم: آنوشکا عسکری
انتشارات پرتقال

چیزی که برایم بامزه بود هم‌زمانیِ داستان با اتفاقات امروز بود. بعد از مدت‌ها داشتم اتاقم را مرتب می‌کردم و دیدم کنار دیوار تار عنکبوت بسته! آمدم با جارو تمیزش کنم، با خودم فکر کردم چه‌قدر جالب که موجودی اتاق من را برای زندگی و خانه ساختن انتخاب کرده و حقیقتا با اکراه خانه‌اش را خراب کردم.
۰۳/۰۵/۱۱

[Ana · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was especially fond of Bear's little guest and of the story's subtle yet important message to refrain from judging or jumping to conclusions.

[KC · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cute story. Love the ending.

[Mehsi · Rating 3 out of 5]

Een schattig boek over een beer die heel erg houdt van schoonmaken. Dit doet hij met zijn beste vriend, een knuffelbeer! Alleen op een dag zijn er heel veel spinnenwebben en onze beer gaat helemaal gek. Ik kon het me best voorstellen, iek spinnen. En ik vond het ook niet erg lief van de spin dat hij OVERAL zijn webben achterliet. Maar uiteindelijk eindigt het allemaal heel erg leuk al moest ik wel lachen om het einde, misschien moet beer toch een voet neerzetten over hoeveel er binnen mogen zijn.
De tekeningen waren echt heel mooi en schattig gedaan.

[Cecilia · Rating 4 out of 5]

VERY relatable (type A personality) Bear freaks out when he finds a spider web in the house and things not where he left them. Unfortunately, his panic leads to his BFF getting injured. The spider comes to the rescue and in doing so forms a solid alliance with Bear.

The spider's button beret is the absolute cutest thing I have ever seen a spider wear. Oh my goodness, was that an excellent choice or what.

[Becky Loader · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bear keeps a very tidy house. He takes care of his friend, Ursa, very well also. He hates spiders. OK. Who doesn't HATE spiders?? Well, let's just say that when a particular spider moves into his house, she proves that her spinning skills can help out in unusual ways.

However.

Once you let one spider in, can more be far behind???

[Anthony · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bear likes to keep a clean house, and taking care of his stuffed friend Ursa. One day he notices a spider web, and is determined to find his messy house guest. In the process of searching for the spider, Bear makes a mess himself, and Ursa suffers an injury. What's a Bear to do? His messy guest comes to the rescue, and new friendships are developed by this peculiar odd couple.

[Sammi · Rating 4 out of 5]

I saw this book in the library and wanted to take a photo of it to show my husband. then I remembered that he was waiting in the car for me and my phone was also in the car. So I took the book home and read it to him (us) as a bedtime story. This book was so cute. And the drawings are so so lovely!!

[Amanda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Friendship comes in many shapes and sizes and isn't always what it seems...though spiders still aren't my favorite. (Though if a spider was a cute and sweet and a bibliophile and could save my favorite teddy, I might, possibly, reconsider....)

[Angela De Groot · Rating 3 out of 5]

Bear is certain about many things, including that the maker of the messy, sticky webs must go. There is no place in his house or his heart for a messy guest. Or so he thinks, until he makes a huge mess while hunting, and his treasured stuffed friend gets hurt.

[Ksenia]

I'm not a fan of spiders. But! This was a very heartwarming story and the art was really cute!

[Megan Sanks · Rating 5 out of 5]

If the spiders in my home knitted and drank tea, I'd be happy to let them stay more often.

[Krystal]

I love Bear and Spider.

[Claire · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was way too invested in this story. The super cute spider and then what happened to Ursa! I gasped. I love the spider in their spiderweb hammock reading. So cute. Love this story.

[Jessica · Rating 5 out of 5]

Bear and Ursa are so cute together.
Then the spider comes along with their own activities and items.
Wonderful.

[Nicole · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this book with a five year old and she said it is her favorite book. Super cute. We both loved it.

[Annese · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a cute story about friendship. However, when this happens in real life... NOPE! A solid no to all of it. I don't do bugs.

[Christina · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another sweet little read I’ll want to check out again.

[Summer · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Bear's Scare" by Jacob Grant. Bear likes to keep his house clean and tidy. In fact, the only thing Bear loves more than cleaning is taking care of his small stuffed friend, Ursa. Then Bear sees a sticky spiderweb and where there’s a web there is certainly a spider! The messy guest must be found, but what Bear and Ursa finally discover might just be an unlikely friend. This book teaches the young ones that, opposites attract in this adorable story, where new friends come in all shapes and sizes. A tidy housekeeper with an eye for detail, Bear kept his home immaculate, enjoying the cleaning process, and caring for his stuffed friend, Ursa. One day, he found a spider-web and was thrown into a bit of a panic, as he began to notice webs proliferating everywhere. Searching high and low for this unwelcome guest, Bear made quite a mess himself, injuring Ursa in the process. Then the arachnid interloper proved that spiders could make very good friends indeed.

[Jana · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have to admit that I share Bear's distaste for spiders...I am always dusting away webs and if I see a spider, I call for my husband to come with his "catch and release" jar. I received a review copy of this book in exchange for a review. This adorable picture book has me rethinking this. The spider that is leaving webs all over Bear's tidy home is so cute and talented. He paints, he knits, he plays guitar, he reads. And when Bear has a big problem, he's the first one to lend a hand and fix things. The awesome illustrations were drawn with charcoal and crayon and then colored digitally. This would be fun to share with young readers as a way to show that friends really are everywhere, and we should have an open heart to building relationships.

[Katie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bear is a tidy kind of person, who is surprised when one day he sees evidence of a spider living in his house. He is just sure the spider is making messes. A search ensues in which bear creates a mess himself. All the while Bear keeps his special stuffed bear, Ursa, close by. Bear accidentally rips Ursa, but while gathering the stuffed animal first aid supplies the spider makes an appearance and uses their silk to repair Ursa. Bear looks closer at the home spider has created and finds he does not mind having the spider around. The end page shows Bear and Ursa reading a book while multiple spiders go about their daily activities.
I really like how the spider is wearing what looks like an acorn top has a hat.

[Cas · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is on the children's choice reading list. The story is about a bear who likes to keep his house clean. One day he notices that there are webs everywhere and wants to put a stop to it. He ends up making more friends that he thought he never would. This story is very good at convincing children to try and make friends with someone even if they think different at first. Having a spider, something many people are afraid of, become friends with someone is very moving compared to if it were something more likeable like a rabbit. Making sure to find books that children themselves recommend it very important for teachers to try and do. By making sure to acknowledge what children currently like it can make it easier for them to read.

[Samantha Chafin · Rating 4 out of 5]

I felt that this book was very cute. I think that it is appropriately assigned to children who are right around the first grade mark because I think that children on that age can see themselves in Bear. I think that Bear is a relatable character to a 7 year old because he carries stuffed animals, ends up making a mess, always hangout with his stuffed animal, and goes on a whole house adventure. I think that children who enjoy adventures would enjoy this book. I also think that it brings light to spiders. We usually view them as scary and terrifying but this book uses the spider character as a light in Bears world and fixes his best friends broken arm.

[The Library Lady · Rating 4 out of 5]

Weary Reviewer of Other People's Reviews Note:Please observe how many times I could have used the word "c*te" in this review. And didn't.

I had hoped to have this book in time to use it at a spider program the other week. I didn't, but in retrospect, I don't think I'd have used it. It's charming, but the spider is too small to spot on some of the pages, and I don't think this is a good group book. In terms of the illustrations, as my daughter would say, it's not my FAVORITE kind of art, but it works with the text. In sum, it's a sweet book with a nice droll edge to the whole thing, and a great punchline.

[Bailee Yale · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bear's Scare was in the Children’s Choices Reading List in 2018. It's about a bear who likes to keep his house tidy with his friend Ursa until he had discovered spider webs in the house. Thats when the two discover an unlikely friend. This book interested me because it is about a bear and a stuffed animal who have a friendship. In real life you think of a brown bear that people are scared of. The illustrations were also more of a realistic factor compared to other picture books. It makes the understanding of the book that the house is tidy. I would utilize this book to children who create this friendships with each other. I would also use this in a literature study for children as well.

[Babies to Bookworms · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is a very cute story about a bear and his stuffed friend, and the spider who enters their home. The bear spends every day cleaning his house with his little stuffed friend. One day, he discovers that there are spider webs around his home, and he starts to worry. This sweet story of misunderstanding others and being helpful to those in need is a gentle reminder that we should care for those around us and not be so quick to judge. The illustrations follow a simple color palette, and show the adorable characters in a way that isn't at all frightening to little ones.