Bear and Mrs. Duck

Winthrop, Elizabeth

ISBN 10: 0823406873 ISBN 13: 9780823406876

Publisher: Holiday House, 1988

Synopsis

Bear is miserable when his regular babysitter, Nora, has to go to the store and he cannot, and he refuses to do anything with Mrs. Duck until he realizes how boring this can be

About this title

From Publishers Weekly:

When Mrs. Duck comes to babysit for Bear while Nora goes to the store, the story of their time togethercharming and full of gently funny dialogueprovides plenty of good press for babysitters everywhere. Bear doesn't like anything about Mrs. Ducknot her floppy hat, or her beady eyes, or her fat, fluffy tail. All he intends to do, no matter what she suggests, is sit and wait for Nora to come home. However, this quickly becomes boring, and Mrs. Duck lures him into first drawing pictures, then reading a favorite book. She flaps up to the top shelf to get it, and floats down again. "Wow," says Bear. She plays roll-the-ball by dipping upside down. And she can retrieve a stray sailboat by paddling over to it. Most important, she doesn't try to argue with him when he is feeling bad. When Nora comes home, Bear is relieved and happy, but doesn't seem to mind the idea of Mrs. Duck's next visit. Brewster's pastels push this sweetly winning story along; this is a good book for helping children ease into the idea of separation from their parents. Ages 3-8.
Copyright 1988 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From School Library Journal:

PreSchool-Grade 1 Through alliterative text; gentle humor; and soft, billowy illustrations, Winthrop and Brewster show exactly how most young children feel about being left with a babysitter. Bear resents being left with Mrs. Duck while Nora goes to the store, and he's determined to be miserable. However, Mrs. Duck, no amateur at dealing with children, has some surprises in store for him, and by the time she leaves, he's looking forward to another visit with her. Mrs. Duck, with her ample squat size, looks a bit like a big comfortable pillow, and Bear is perfectly childlike in his uncertainty, hostility, slow acceptance, and final approval. Children are sure to recognize themselves in the story, as it expertly captures all of the stages of the relationship through dialogue and facial expressions. A real charmer that's honest and realistic in its depiction of a childhood trauma, it neatly combines imagination and reassurance with good fun. Trev Jones, ``School Library Journal''
Copyright 1988 Reed Business Information, Inc.

About this edition

• Publisher: Holiday House
• Publication date: 1988
• ISBN 10: 0823406873
• ISBN 13: 9780823406876
• Binding: Library Binding
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 32
• Illustrator: Brewster Patience