Three Bears Rhyme Book, The

THE THREE BEARS RHYME BOOK

Illustrated by Jane Dyer

Harcourt 1987
ISBN# 0-15-286386-9 Harcourt hardcover

ISBN# 0-15-201564-7 Voyager paperback

When I first saw Jane Dyer’s wonderful artwork–in a portfolio at a workshop I was running–I fell in love with her animals in clothing. I wrote “Piggins” esepcially for her, but I always remembered a picture from her portfolio of the three bears eating breakfast. When I started writing the rhymes for this book, “Porridge” was one of the first, inspired by her picture. A version of that picture is used in the book. Several of my poems in this book have been reprinted widely–“Bouquet,” “Read to Me” and “Papa Bear’s Hum.” Jane’s “Read to Me” poster, from Peaceable Kingdom, is a treasure. The book was a Booklist Editors’ Choice and a Parents Choice Honor book. There is a Spanish edition.

What reviewers have said:

• “The wonderfully paired team of Yolen and Dyer (Piggins) has created another winner with this collection of 15 rhymed poems narrated by the smallest bear of the familiar three bears story. … The designs of Dyer’s vivid pages are exceptionally clever, and the illustrations are a snug match for Yolen’s lilting text.”—Publishers Weekly
• *Starred Review* “The universality of the [poems’] events will certainly appeal to young listeners who’ll find the words mirroring their own everyday activities. As for the illustrations, there’s just one word for them—delightful. . . It’s clear this book was crafted carefully by everyone involved, and children, who’ll enjoy looking at it over and over, will reap the benefits of that eye for detail and concern.”—Booklist
• “Yolen’s rhymes are gentle, whimsical, sometimes Christopher Robiny, and guaranteed to find a warm spot in readers’ hearts. And Dyer’s detailed colored-pencil and watercolor illustrations. . .are a perfect complement to the text.”—Teddy Bear World

Recording:

• “Poppa Bear’s Hum” from THREE BEARS’ RHYME BOOK in Lui Collins’ “North of Mars.”