What do you think?
Rate this book
The Bear Who Shared
Norris the bear has been waiting patiently for the last ripe fruit to fall from the tree. But Tulip the raccoon and Violet the mouse have too . . . although maybe not so patiently. In fact, Tulip and Violet sniff, listen to, and even hug the fruit. Norris catches the fruit when it finally falls, and because he is a wise bear, he shares it and makes two new friends.
A lovely simplicity of language and gorgeous artwork make this story of one of life's first lessons perfect for the youngest listeners.
A lovely simplicity of language and gorgeous artwork make this story of one of life's first lessons perfect for the youngest listeners.
32 pages, Hardcover
First published March 1, 2010
7 people are currently reading
273 people want to read
About the author
Catherine Rayner
54 books81 followersSee also Catherine Rayner for works on the Bronte sisters
Award winning author and illustrator Catherine Rayner studied Illustration at Edinburgh College of art. She fell in love with the city and still lives there with her husband, young son and a handful of creatures: Shannon the horse, Ena the grey cat and a goldfish called Richard.
She finds huge inspiration in her pets and often uses them as models, frequently asking Ena to pose so that she can study her posture and movement. Then she translates sketches of Ena into characters such as dragons and hares, not to mention moose and bears! But it was creatures of a wilder kind that inspired her first picture book, Augustus and His Smile - Catherine spent hours and hours watching and sketching tigers (in freezing temperatures) at Edinburgh Zoo.
Winner of the 2009 CILIP Kate Greenaway Medal for her second book Harris Finds His Feet, Catherine has now been shortlisted four times for the award. She was also awarded the Best New Illustrator Award at the Booktrust Early Years Awards in 2006 and was named one of Booktrust’s ten Best New Illustrators in 2008. In 2010, she was the inaugural illustrator in residence at the Edinburgh International Book Festival. In 2012 Catherine’s book Iris and Isaac won the UKLA Children’s Book Award and the Dutch edition of Solomon Crocodile has been selected as PICTURE BOOK OF THE YEAR 2014 in The Netherlands by the CPNB.
Award winning author and illustrator Catherine Rayner studied Illustration at Edinburgh College of art. She fell in love with the city and still lives there with her husband, young son and a handful of creatures: Shannon the horse, Ena the grey cat and a goldfish called Richard.
She finds huge inspiration in her pets and often uses them as models, frequently asking Ena to pose so that she can study her posture and movement. Then she translates sketches of Ena into characters such as dragons and hares, not to mention moose and bears! But it was creatures of a wilder kind that inspired her first picture book, Augustus and His Smile - Catherine spent hours and hours watching and sketching tigers (in freezing temperatures) at Edinburgh Zoo.
Winner of the 2009 CILIP Kate Greenaway Medal for her second book Harris Finds His Feet, Catherine has now been shortlisted four times for the award. She was also awarded the Best New Illustrator Award at the Booktrust Early Years Awards in 2006 and was named one of Booktrust’s ten Best New Illustrators in 2008. In 2010, she was the inaugural illustrator in residence at the Edinburgh International Book Festival. In 2012 Catherine’s book Iris and Isaac won the UKLA Children’s Book Award and the Dutch edition of Solomon Crocodile has been selected as PICTURE BOOK OF THE YEAR 2014 in The Netherlands by the CPNB.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 119 reviews
April 14, 2022
Ein Bär hat Geduld... vorhersehbar, aber schöne Illustrationen und diese seltsame Frucht klingt sehr spannend.
July 7, 2018
I suppose this could be a little didactic, but it works. Its simplicity in text and illustration is endearing and sweet. And just to make sure I was right, I looked up "plorringe." (It IS a made-up fruit.) I think this is worth including in one of my preschool storytimes, because it can't hurt to throw in a "be nice" lesson among the scads of my silly choices. :-)
5/7/14: I was worried that the Manners theme would be too didactic, so this book actually turned out to be NOT didactic compared to the first book I'd read. This was just a nice story with a sweet ending. Kids liked it, though I did have the quiet crowd.
7/7/18: Pulling books on sharing for SS and SD. Opened this to review and it seemed familiar. I HAD read this. I like the simple story and it should work for the kids.
5/7/14: I was worried that the Manners theme would be too didactic, so this book actually turned out to be NOT didactic compared to the first book I'd read. This was just a nice story with a sweet ending. Kids liked it, though I did have the quiet crowd.
7/7/18: Pulling books on sharing for SS and SD. Opened this to review and it seemed familiar. I HAD read this. I like the simple story and it should work for the kids.
December 22, 2016
There are an awful lot of silly books, ironic stories, 'meta' wannabees, and other exciting choices out there. But sometimes a reader just wants a simple quiet fable with gorgeous art. Rayner shows she's a master at the latter, just like she showed she can successfully do exciting with Solomon Crocodile. Definitely one of my new-to-me favorite authors.
March 17, 2016
Norris is a very wise bear who loves plorringes. He waits patiently while the plorringe ripens...but Violet and Tulip also love plorringes. And they don't wait...they examine and sniff the plorringe. Who will get the plorringe? Will patience pay off?
Could be used to discuss character traits of patience, wisdom, kindness and sharing.
Could be used to discuss character traits of patience, wisdom, kindness and sharing.
May 9, 2011
Prettier than the Berenstain Bears, bur nearly as preachy.
September 9, 2016
Great book to help introduce K-1 to the concept of the library. Sharing is caring! Why do we keep our books in good condition? Because we share them! And sharing books helps us make friends! KO
August 19, 2017
An adorable book about the value of patience and sharing. Aww.
August 19, 2021
I enjoyed this book for many reasons including the beautiful illustrations and the theme about the importance of sharing. This book could be used in the early elementary classroom to stress the importance of sharing with our friends and classmates.
April 25, 2024
I fell in love with Catherine Rainer’s artwork which introduced me to her world of children’s books. And what a delightful world it is!
This book is a powerful but simple telling (as the best picture books are) of friendship, sharing, kindness, patience and imagination. Plus the illustrations are happy, alive & magical.
Thank you, Catherine Rayner!!
This book is a powerful but simple telling (as the best picture books are) of friendship, sharing, kindness, patience and imagination. Plus the illustrations are happy, alive & magical.
Thank you, Catherine Rayner!!
August 24, 2011
Norris, the bear, knew that the plorringes were the best fruits. So he waited under the plorringe tree because he knew something special was going to happen. Tulip and Violet, a mouse and a raccoon, knew that plorringes were the best too. They were able to climb up in the tree to get closer to the single hanging plorringe. They could see how delicious it looked and smell its delicious scent. They listened to it and hugged it too. They were just about to lick it when it fell off of the tree and down right onto Norris’ head. Now Norris was closest to the plorringe and had it all to himself. But just as Norris was patient, he was also a very nice bear. The type of bear who would not only share but would make some new friends doing it.
The story here is one that has been shared in many picture books. Rayner’s writing has a gentle repetition that is almost not noticeable. She has a playfulness and a warmth to her writing that makes it a pleasure to read aloud.
It is the illustrations that make this book something extraordinary. There is the brawny brown of the bear done in overlapping paint that show his girth and weight, but also his sturdiness and steadiness. Then the raccoon is a mash of black and grays, blending and merrily mixing, capturing the dynamic movements. The mouse is all delicate line and a whisper of pink expression for the tail. The plorringe is yellows, reds and pinks, a mix of mango, plum, and guava.
A book about sharing and friendship that will be loved due to the illustrations. Appropriate for ages 3-5.
The story here is one that has been shared in many picture books. Rayner’s writing has a gentle repetition that is almost not noticeable. She has a playfulness and a warmth to her writing that makes it a pleasure to read aloud.
It is the illustrations that make this book something extraordinary. There is the brawny brown of the bear done in overlapping paint that show his girth and weight, but also his sturdiness and steadiness. Then the raccoon is a mash of black and grays, blending and merrily mixing, capturing the dynamic movements. The mouse is all delicate line and a whisper of pink expression for the tail. The plorringe is yellows, reds and pinks, a mix of mango, plum, and guava.
A book about sharing and friendship that will be loved due to the illustrations. Appropriate for ages 3-5.
June 8, 2017
Norris is a wise bear that loves plorringes. He waits patiently beneath the plorringe tree while Violet and Tulip scurry up the tree to pine after the hanging plorringe. Violet and Tulip spend time listening, sniffing, and hugging the plorringe, but just when they get the courage to stick their little pink tongues out for a taste - PLOP! - it falls right onto Norris's head. Norris the bear shares his newfound plorringe with Tulip and Violet and makes two friends.
This was a lovely, slower-paced book that I used in my storytime about manners and being kind. The illustrations are just beautiful to look at. I slowed down my storytelling for this one so we could enjoy the illustrations for longer, and the pace had a nice calming affect on my audience. The book is short but sweet, and I would use it again. We talked a little bit about how sharing is a kind thing to do and how we might share with brothers and sisters and friends.
This was a lovely, slower-paced book that I used in my storytime about manners and being kind. The illustrations are just beautiful to look at. I slowed down my storytelling for this one so we could enjoy the illustrations for longer, and the pace had a nice calming affect on my audience. The book is short but sweet, and I would use it again. We talked a little bit about how sharing is a kind thing to do and how we might share with brothers and sisters and friends.
December 13, 2017
Cute book, my crowd this morning took it pretty well. I think the giant thunk in the head moment saved it from being simply preachy and the illustrations were well received. The kids liked their expressiveness.
I almost lost them over the 'plorringe' though. Unless you're trying to rhyme with orange why would you use a made up fruit? It seemed an unnecessary complication and the preschoolers seemed to think it was a test or trying to sneak something on them because they kept guessing what it 'really' was.
I almost lost them over the 'plorringe' though. Unless you're trying to rhyme with orange why would you use a made up fruit? It seemed an unnecessary complication and the preschoolers seemed to think it was a test or trying to sneak something on them because they kept guessing what it 'really' was.
June 21, 2011
Norris is a wise and patient bear. He is also kind so when the last ripe fruit falls from the tree, Norris shares with Tulip and Violet (who have also been waiting but not quite as patiently) and makes two new friends in the bargain. Catherine Rayner's simple story is gently supported by the soft and quietly textured illustrations. Lovely.
September 12, 2011
I am in love with this book. It's silly, and the illustrations are just favoloso. You can read it in a wisp, or take your time marveling at the art. And it's about sharing, and about plorringes. My kind of book. I found this at the library, but would spend money on it in a minute for a toddler. This kind of book can be read 1,000 times and the adult won't keel over from tedium and disgust.
January 2, 2014
This is an absolutely charming story told through large, simple, deep orange text and lovely soft watercolors. Wise Norris the bear and two other characters are waiting for the last plorringe hanging on a tree. The descriptions of the plorringe are beautiful - plorringes are, "as soft as cotton candy" and smell, "of honey and sunny days." This is a beautiful book about patience and friendship.
July 19, 2011
The expression "Less is more" certainly applies to this quiet, yet delightful little picture book about a wise bear who chooses to share his bounty rather than keeping it for himself. What he gains from sharing, rather than hoarding his find, is two new friends.
December 3, 2021
Norris is a wise bear who realizes that even though Tulip and Violet, the raccoon and mouse, are expressing extreme interest in his piece of fruit, they will all have to wait until it is ripe and falls from the tree. And of course Norris, being a wise bear is also kind and shares.
January 4, 2017
GREAT for either a bear, foods, or sharing storytime, and as such, able to pair incredibly well with sooooo many other books! Plus great illustrations, simple text, and large pages make this a wonderful title for sharing in groups.
July 26, 2017
Beautiful watercolor illustrations and thoughtful text combine to create a heartfelt, memorable story. Although "ploringes" are imaginary, the importance of being wise, patient, and kind is very much real...which makes this book simply perfect to share with a loved one.
November 10, 2018
This is a great book to teach about sharing and patience, as Norris the wise bears waits for the delicious plorrange fruit to fall from the tree. Will he get to enjoy the fruit or will some one else beat him to it? Fun for Fall story times.
March 17, 2011
So sweet!!
March 17, 2011
Storytime uses: Bears, Sharing/feelings, Friendship, Patience
March 18, 2011
Delightful, simple story. Beautiful illustrations!
March 24, 2011
I am loving Catherine Rayner! Lovely illustrations, sweet text, cute story.
July 27, 2011
Simple and fun
April 15, 2011
Lovely story about sharing. Beautiful, somewhat abstract illustrations with soft watercolor.
April 30, 2011
Lovely, simple, sweet. Patience, friendship, sharing themes. Gorgeous art big enough for group reading.
May 25, 2011
a very sweet story, can't wait to share it in storytime.
July 1, 2011
A simply told tale of how a juicy "plorringe" brings together three new friends.
Cute.
And bearfully bear-friendly.
Cute.
And bearfully bear-friendly.
August 23, 2011
Lovely illustrations--average story.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 119 reviews