When You Grow Up

by Lennie Goodings, Jenny M. Jones (Illustrations)

Zachary, a young bear, says that when he grows up he is going to live with his mother, but she encourages him to think about the many other things he could do, such as being a footballer, pilot, or cowboy.

Genres: Picture Books, Childrens, Family, Fiction

32 pages, Hardcover

First published May 1, 2001

Reviews

[Citlalli Canete]

This book was emotional because it talks about a son bear and a mama bear. Basically the son bear tells his mama bear that no matter what he chooses to be when he grows up he will always come back to live with his mom. Throughout the book mama bear gives him different scenarios of what he would be and his answer always goes to I will go back and live with you until she tells him what would happen he has a kid of his own. The answer he gives is then I will live next to you.

[Alexis Solakian · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a story about the young bear Zachery and his mother exploring possible options for his future. Zachery and his mom talk about all the different things he could be when he grows up. After every career his mom suggests, Zachery says "and then I'll come back and live with you!" Finally, his mother suggests that he will be a father someday and he says that he can live next door to his mom.

The themes of this book are future careers and not wanting to leave home.

My personal response to this text was extremely strong due to the fact that this was exactly how I was as a child (even through high school, and as embarrassing as it is even to this day as a junior in college). As a child, I could not even imagine ever leaving my parents. My ultimate dream was to live at home forever. Even when it came to a sleepover, I would have to think long and hard about whether or not it was going to be worth not being home that night. When it came time to discuss college options, I ONLY considered schools that were close enough to drive home every weekend. Eventually, I realized that home will always be there, no matter how far away I went for college (so I chose a college 1800 miles away from home and have an embarrassing high number of Southwest Airlines points racked up). I absolutely loved reading this text because it was a perfect mirror image of myself when I was a child.

I recommend this book because I think many children have this same fear of leaving home, and are usually made fun of when they are the one crying at their first sleepover asking for their mom to come pick them up. This book shows that it's OK to want to be close to your family forever. Even at the end of this book when they imagine Zachery having a family of his own, he imagines living next door to his mother. I think this book also serves as a great conversation starter for what kids want to be when they grow up. You can stop after each page and ask the children if they want to have whatever career the mother in the book just suggested. If they do not, you can open up a discussion concerning what each child wants to be and spark some imagination and determination within the classroom.

[Katie Belford · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book is about a baby bear who is exactly like his mother. The baby bear wants to end up living with his mom when he is older. The mom thinks of a bunch of different things the baby bear could do when he is old enough. He agrees with all the options his mom gives him, but he always ends with how in the end he will live with his mom. When the mama bear mentions how he might have a family someday, he has a wonderful response that is not how he will live with her later in life.

The theme in this book is about how you shouldn't always live with your parents, but how it is very important to keep family close to you in life.

I was not a huge fan of this book because I think it was a little bit boring. It was cute and sweet, but there was nothing that really captured my attention. The theme of the book was not very clear either.

I would not recommend this book to kids in today's society. I feel like there are so many attention grabbing children's books out there and this was not one of them.

[Candice · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a sweet book with colorful and beautifully drawn illustrations. Zachary the bear says that when he grows up he wants to live with his mom. Mom suggests a lot of things Zachary might be when he grows up - a pilot, a famous soccer star, a baker, an ambulance driver. All sound appealing to Zachary, but he always replies, "And then I'll come back and live with you." The book captures very well the separation anxiety and the ambivalence of the very young when they think about growing up. Growing up does sound cool, but what about mom?

[Raven Grider · Rating 3 out of 5]

What a cute book! I would use this book in a pre-school setting, maybe even kindergarten. The theme of the story is knowing you're loved and staying true to what you want to be. This book incorporates gender by the mother telling the son he can be whatever he pleases in life. It's a tad bit inspirational!

[Ashleigh Jevnikar · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a great story for young children. The storyline coincides with a child's imagination when thinking about what they want to be when they grow up. This book would be a great discussion piece, where children can share what they want to be when they grow up.

[Tori Fullmer]

Picture book. A bear and her cub discuss what he will become when he grows up, and he is sure he will come back to live with his beloved mother. Warm illustrations add extra sweetness to the storyline.

[Melanie · Rating 4 out of 5]

So sweet!

[Sarah · Rating 2 out of 5]

Kindergarten: jobs

[Katheryn Christensen]

Picture book. I will use this to teach about different jobs.

[Spencer · Rating 3 out of 5]

2023

2021
Gift from Harper's grandmother