The Tree That Bear Climbed

by Marianne Berkes, Kathleen Rietz

Overview

The Tree That Bear Climbed is a creative twist on the classic, The House that Jack Built. Young listeners and early readers will love the rhythmic repetition as they learn about the many parts of a tree. Beginning with the roots that anchor the tree, this cumulative verse story climbs to a surprise ending. Why is bear so eager to climb the tree and what happens when he gets to the top?

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781607185468
Publisher:	Arbordale Publishing
Publication date:	08/10/2012
Series:	The Tree That Bear Climbed , #1
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Lexile:	AD330L (what's this?)
File size:	17 MB
Note:	This product may take a few minutes to download.
Age Range:	3 - 8 Years

About the Author

Award-winning author Marianne Berkes (Daisylocks) is a retired teacher and librarian who turned her love of nature and teaching into writing informational picture books. In addition to Anybody Home?, The Tree That Bear Climbed and the award-winning Animalogy for Sylvan Dell, some of Marianne’s other recent and award-winning titles include: Going Home, The Mystery of Animal Migration; Over in the Ocean, in a Coral Reef; Over in the Jungle, a Rainforest Rhyme; Going Around the Sun, Some Planetary Fun, and What's in the Garden?

A lifelong artist and lover of nature, Kathleen Rietz was drawing and painting before she learned to write her name. Originally from Peoria, IL, Kathleen received her formal training from the American Academy of Art in Chicago, IL. In addition to illustrating Desert Baths, The Tree That Bear Climbed, Prairie Storms, and Champ’s Story: Dogs Get Cancer Too! for Sylvan Dell, Kathleen’s other books include Conce Tu Parque, Little Black Ant on Park Street, The ABC’s of Yoga for Kids, and Prayers for Children. She taught art to children and adults at the Community School of the Arts at historic Wheaton College in Wheaton, IL, and through a local home school program in her community.

Editorial Reviews

K-Gr 2—This cumulative, nondescript text, in the spirit of "The House That Jack Built," focuses on the growth of a tree and the natural inhabitants that impact the great outdoors. Gentle, lightly colored spreads depict the tree from the ground up, providing a higher and higher perspective as branches reach out to the sky. Phrases naturally build with a growing intensity as more elements come into view. "These are the branches/that stretch from the trunk/that stands in the rain/that waters the soil/that feeds the roots/that anchor the tree/the bear climbed." The focus remains on the tree at all times; soil, placed in someone's hands without a face in view, showcases the sturdy trunk in the background. As bees collect the pollen from the flower blossoms, the encroaching bear sticks out his tongue for a delightful slurp; the accompanying spread shows the animal (now small in stature on all fours) as he scurries away from the swarming insects. Backgrounds, predominately in earthy greens and pale blue skies, could benefit from a more striking color palette. Concluding educational resources include teacher activities. A buzzing twist concludes this ho-hum effort.—Meg Smith, Cumberland County Public Library, Fayetteville, NC

School Library Journal

"It’s an impressive introduction to trees and life cycles and would pair wonderfully with a fiction title about trees. The book also contains curricular topics, more information, scientific experiments, and activities. - Library Media Connection

From the Publisher

A salute to trees, their needs and the interactions between plants and animals. Beginning with the roots, Berkes introduces one part of the tree or its environment at a time: soil, rain, trunk, branches, leaves, sun, blossoms and pollen. Each new addition to the cumulative "House That Jack Built" rhyme provides a little information: "This is the rain / that waters the soil / that feeds the roots / that anchor the tree / that bear climbed." This last line (and the book's title) may seem odd to children who are reading all about the tree's needs, but once the bees and their hive and their honey enter the poem, it is not hard to guess how the bear gets involved, nor what will happen to him when he does. Two spreads of backmatter extend the learning, with a huge treasure trove of additional educational materials posted on the publisher's website. Two pages teach readers about the basic needs of plants and the interaction between plants and animals. Two pages of activities challenge children to match a tree's parts to their descriptions and conduct some experiments with plants. Rietz's detailed artwork uses natural colors to great effect--readers will almost smell the blossoms on the tree and hear the buzzing of the bees with their furry bodies and transparent wings. The repetitive text, surprise ending and effortless learning make this a sure winner for the classroom. (Informational picture book. 3-8)

Kirkus Reviews