Little Bear

By Else Holmelund  Minarik

Illustrations by Maurice Sendak

Copyright 1957

Considering its age, this book is in very good condition.  Well, except for the childish printing on the inside.  Apparently, I had just started learning to write and wanted to mark my most treasured possessions.  This book was certainly one of them.  I remember being read to and later, reading it myself.  

The first story in the book is titled What Will Little Bear Wear?  Little Bear wants to play in the snow, but complains that it is too cold.  Mother Bear makes him a hat to wear outside, and off goes Little Bear to play.  Time and again, back inside comes Little Bear to complain about the cold, and each time Mother Bear makes him a new, warm piece of clothing.  All bundled up, Little Bear comes in once again to say he is cold. 

“My little bear,” said Mother Bear,

you have a hat,

you have a coat,

you have snow pants.

Do you want a fur coat, too?”

Mother Bear proceeds to take off Little Bear’s hat, coat, and snow pants.  And guess what?  There is his fur coat!  Now when Little Bear goes outside to play, he is not cold anymore!

It just goes to show you; sometimes we look so hard for what we think will make us happy, when all along we already had just what we needed!