Little Polar Bear, Take Me Home!

Kleine IJsbeer

by Hans de Beer

In the fourth entry of Lars's adventures, Lars, the little polar bear, helps a frightened little lost tiger named Sasha, but when the two of them get a bit lost, a wise owl and a generous camel help Lars take his new friend safely home. Reprint.

Genres: Picture Books, Childrens, Fiction, Animals, School

32 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1996

About the author

Hans de Beer was born in Muiden, a small town near Amsterdam, in the Netherlands. He began to draw when he went to school, mostly when the lessons got too boring. In college, he studied history, but he was drawing so many pictures during the lectures that he decided to become an artist. He went on to study illustration at the Rietveld Academy of Art in Amsterdam. Hans de Beer's Little Polar Bear books enjoy great international success and have been published in eighteen languages in 27 countries.

Reviews

[Sonja Rosa Lisa ♡ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Der kleine Eisbär Lars trifft auf den Tiger Theo, der furchtbar traurig ist. Er kann seine Eltern nicht wiederfinden. Lars beschließt, Theo zu helfen und gemeinsam machen sich die beiden auf den Weg.
💜 Ich habe das Hörbuch gehört, das wieder sehr schön mit Musik und Liedern untermalt ist. Auch die Geschichte an sich ist sehr schön; sie zeugt von Freundschaft und Hilfsbereitschaft. Gefällt mir sehr gut!

[Natalie all_books_great_and_small · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received an advance reader copy of this book to read in exchange for an honest review via netgalley and the publishers.

Little Polar Bea, Take Me Home! is an adorable picture book for children about the much loved Little Polar Bear and his new friend who's a Siberian Tiger. Little Polar Bear is fed up with the ocean as his main surroundings and view and goes in search of some food. Upon finding some chicken drumsticks he sits down to eat and they suddenly disappear. He sees that a little tiger cub has devoured them and is very upset. The tiger tells him she's very far from home and has no idea how to get home. The Little Polar Bear befriends her and takes her on a train journey to find her home. This is such a beautifully illustrated book about friendship and allows the reader to see how a different perspective of someone can make you fall back in live with what you have.

[Abigail · Rating 3 out of 5]

Lars, the eponymous little polar bear, returns in this fifth picture-book devoted to his ongoing adventures, this time making a new friend in the form of a lost Siberian tiger named Sasha. On a quest to see the sea, of which his father had told him, Sasha finds himself far from home, and unsure of how to get back. Lars, nothing daunted, helps him to get home, and then is escorted home in his turn by Sasha and his father. In the end, he concludes that the sea, which he had previously found boring, must be pretty amazing, to draw animals from so far away...

Originally published in Switzerland as Kleiner Eisbär, kennst du den Weg?, (literally: "Little Polar Bear, Do You Know the Way?"), this entry in author/illustrator Hans de Beer's series offers a sweet inversion of the usual formula for these stories, in which Lars is swept off by circumstance, finding himself far from home, before being aided by other animals in returning. In Little Polar Bear, Take Me Home! that scenario is inverted, and it is Lars who must help another creature return to his home. Like its predecessors, the story here is gentle and heartwarming, and the artwork (done in watercolor, I believe) cute and appealing. Recommended to fans of the Little Polar Bear series, and to anyone looking for stories about polar bears and/or tigers.

[Tym · Rating 4 out of 5]

Beautiful art and cute story

[Nora || نورا · Rating 3 out of 5]

Such a cute short story! Absolutely loved the illustrations, they were adorable! Suitable for children (or an adult like me) with lovely messages.

[Christina · Rating 4 out of 5]

A cute book about a little polar bear who helps a little tiger find his was home. My 5 year old loved the story, and the illustrations were beautiful. With a solid message about helping, cooperating to accomplish big things, and appreciating what's been taken for granted.

[Jeanie · Rating 5 out of 5]

A sweet story about friendship. Little Polar Bear Lars and Little Sasha meet, they are both lost. In helping Sasha get home, Lars makes a new friend.

I loved the illustrations as it told the story well. Seeing one in need and acting on it is a great virtue to teach our children. It also leads to many adventures.

A special thank you to North South Books Inc and Netgalley for the ARC and the opportunity to post an honest review.

[Nicole · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lars, the Little Polar Bear, and Sasha, the tiger cub, learn the importance of home.

[Sam Andersen · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a sweet book about friendship and helping those in need. Lars the little polar bear from the North Pole was searching for a snack when he happened upon a scared and hungry Siberian tiger cub named Sasha. Sasha had boarded the train to go to the end of the train tracks in search of the ocean and was now lost. Lars selflessly decided to help Sasha find her way home. During the adventure, they quickly bonded, with Lars taking on the role of big brother. Along the way, they met several other animals who helped them safely along their way. When Lars finally returned to his own home, he had a new appreciation for the ocean that he had previously found mundane and boring.

The moral of the story indicates that if you work to help those less fortunate than yourself, you will gain a new appreciation for what you have.

Like other books about Lars the little polar bear, the illustrations are adorable with attention to every detail.

The author lists this book for children P-3.
The best place for this book would be on every child’s, grandparents, school library in early elementary school bookshelf.

I received this advanced reader’s copy from the Author/Illustrator Hans de Beer, North South Books, and NetGalley. This is a voluntary review, and all comments and opinions are entirely my own.

[Kirsty · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is such a heart-warming story about the unlikely friendship between a little polar bear (Lars) and a little tiger (Sasha). The story begins at the North Pole, where Lars lives. He goes searching for food and stumbles across Sasha, who is far from home. They fall asleep on a train, which takes them closer to Sasha's home. Eventually, after jumping off the train and going on an adventure, they find Tiger Land. But then Lars is sad and wants return to his home in the north pole, and Father tiger returns the kindness Lars showed and helps Lars to get home.

The illustrations in this story are so beautiful and intricate, and help the reader to infer the emotions of the animals. Therefore, there are lots of opportunities to discuss the images in book talk to help understand the story.

This story could be used as a receptive context for discussing different habitats in geography, as well as the human impact/global warming is having on animals such as polar bears.

I feel this book would be a great one to read to KS1 children in the winter time, in free time such as at the end of the day.

[Irinita · Rating 4 out of 5]

Den Kleinen Eisbär habe ich in letzter Zeit so oft und so gerne vorgelesen, dass ich das Buch als Erinnerung an die schönen Vorleseabende in meine Liste für dieses Jahr aufnehmen möchte. Kleiner Eisbär, kennst du den Weg? ist eine rührende Geschichte über Freundschaft und Dankbarkeit.

Das Buch hat mich angeregt, wieder mehr wertzuschätzen, was ich habe. "Es gibt nichts Schöneres", sagt der Tigervater, als er bei seinem Besuch am Nordpol das Meer sieht, das der kleine Eisbär bisher immer langweilig fand. "Seither fand Lars das Meer nie mehr langweilig und manchmal murmelte er vor sich hin: "Es gibt nichts Schöneres."" Eine wichtige Erinnerung an den Wert des Hier und Jetzt, auch für Erwachsene. Wunderschön.

[Ali Book&Seaglasshunter · Rating 4 out of 5]

Little Polar Bear meets a Tiger who has come to see the ocean. He needs help to find his way back to the Tiger forest. The two set off together and have an adventure as they travel from the tundra to the taiga and meet some other animals along the way. Little Polar Bear wonders why someone would want to come so far to see the ocean, which he sees every day and finds dull. But after meeting his new friend he learns to look at the ocean with a new appreciation for his home. This is a nice lesson for both children and adults, as it’s sometimes easy to begging to take our ordinary for granted. Little Polar Bear is a cute and lovable character to present this lesson and topic of conversation.

[Alexandra · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another adorable adventure of Lars the youngling Bear. Now he found and help a Tiger cub. Their story and illustration totally cute and my kid love them so much. Their journey to find home not easy but they learn to help each other and be brave.

I received a free copy of this book, my opinions are my own.

[Ryan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lars can make friends anywhere. His new friend is Sasha the tiger who just wants to see the ocean. But as usual for Lars he got a little lost. But new friends along the way will help Sasha find home and Lars make it back to his dad. Love these books! I love the heart. I love the sentiment. I love the illustration. They just work.

[Phylisha Stone · Rating 5 out of 5]

A beautiful story about ayoung polar bear and a young tiger getting stranded far from home and how they worked together to get back home. A wonderful friendship story about to totally different creatures who despite there differences became great friends. Loved it!!!

[Abigail Niemiec · Rating 3 out of 5]

Genre: Fiction
Grade: 1-3
The cutest of illustrations makes this book a keeper as you follow a blooming friendship between a tiger and a polar bear.

[Lili · Rating 5 out of 5]

sehr nett und schön illustriert!!

[GreatGreyOwl · Rating 5 out of 5]

So eine süße Geschichte, ich habe die Geschichten rund um Lars den kleinen Eisbär als Kind geliebt.

[Petuli · Rating 4 out of 5]

Příjemná knížka, velmi hezké ilustrace. Vystupují zvířata medvídek, tygr, sovice a velbloud. Četly jsme s dcerou a užily jsme si ji obě.

[Silvia Letture caldi abbracci · Rating 4 out of 5]

Un albo che parla di neve, di amicizia e di viaggi. Due cuccioli che scoprono insieme il mare tra incertezze e meraviglia.

[Lucy]

A lovely, sweet tale about a friendship between a polar bear and tiger cub. The story has a cute message and beautiful illustrations. Absolutely loved reading this one with my daughter.

[Sarah Sammis · Rating 4 out of 5]

Little Polar Bear, Take Me Home is one of a series of children's books featuring the adventures of Lars the polar bear. Lars even has his own series of cartoons in Germany. I came across this 1996 printing at the Dublin library shelf in Starbuck's last month.

When I first saw the book I immediately (and mistakenly) thought Alaska for the setting and thought perhaps the tiger on the cover was escaped from a zoo or a circus. He's neither; he's a wild tiger from presumably India who has accidentally hitched a ride on a freight train to the arctic circle.

Lars, who is looking for a snack and a bit of adventure, finds the tiger at the end of the line and in the course of trying to help the tiger find his way home ends up on the return trip of the train. From there in typical children's book fashion, the two animals must enlist the aid of other animals as they travel through far and distant lands on their search for the tiger's home.

So far I've read it to Harriet but not Sean. She likes the pictures (ooh striped kitty!). I think Sean will like the story and will have lots of questions about their adventures.

[Rachel · Rating 3 out of 5]

A tiger travels to the north pole on a train because his father has told him all about the wonderful views of the ocean there. But he gets lost on the way and a polar bear has to help him find his way back home. But then the polar bear is lost and the father tiger helps take him back to the north pole.

[Rosa Cline · Rating 4 out of 5]

Little Polar Bear tries to help a new friend tiger find his way back home to the woods. Then they get lost along the way but get help from new friend owl. Little Polar Bear books are a good lesson to help teach children that making new friends is fun and it's so important to help someone that needs help and be there to help them feel comfortable when they are sad.

[The Brothers · Rating 4 out of 5]

A little tiger (Siberian?) gets lost in his quest to see the ocean and a little polar bear befriends them. Between the two of them and some other helpful animals, the little tiger is able to make his way home again.

Charming illustrations.

[Mark Nissen · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book. I thought that the illustrations were very well done and it also told a rather fun story.

[Carol Royce Owen · Rating 3 out of 5]

I know this is fiction for little kids, but I just can't help but wonder - where is this land that they travel to by train?

[Chelsea Garcia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Too adorable! Travel with Lars as he helps a lost little tiger find his way back home.

[Tereza Krupičková · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lední medvídek pomáhá ztracenému tygříkovi najít cestu domů. Krátký příběh s hezkými ilustracemi. Knížka, ke které se určitě budeme vracet.