A Look at Picture Books Past

EK and PK children will look at picture books written at least 50 years ago today and tomorrow. Today we read Growl Bear, written and illustrated by Margot Austin and first published in 1951. This story grabbed every last child in both classes and held their attention from endpaper to endpaper. It was republished as A Friend for Growl Bear in 1999, newly illustrated by David McPhail. We read the original, with black and white illustrations.

Usually when I read a book illustrated in black and white, at some point somebody will stop me and mention the black and white illustrations and ask why they aren't done in color. Only one child mentioned the illustrations, and that was after the reading while he and I were discussing the book. Rather than lament the fact that they weren't done in color, Keegan loved them. I consider this a sign that the story completely entranced the children, and that the black and white illustrations worked perfectly with the story.

Growl Bear looks at how people (as portrayed by the animal characters) perceive one another, and how misunderstood intentions can lead to harsh and hurtful reactions.

As you read through the responses, keep in mind that when a child says he or she liked it when something bad happened to the bear, they aren't approving. They're reacting to the strong emotion within the story, and to their own emotional attachment to the bear.

EK Responses

Sophie:  I liked it because the guys hurt the bear. They were really angry and they started pushing him. They thought he was going to eat them because bears eat different animals and I liked the bear. He wanted to say, "Hey! I'm not going to hurt you. I just want a friend." He wanted to play with somebody, and they didn't because they thought he was going to bite somebody but he didn't. He just wanted a friend! He just said, "Grrrrr!" because he couldn't say anything because he's a bear and he just can't talk. And he was too little to talk.

Annalee: I liked this book because I liked Mouse.

Allison: He wanted friends.

Keegan:  I like it 'cause it's very old. What I like that's my favorite is the color -- black and white. The bear wanted a friend. Everybody was afraid of him because of his growl. He didn't know how to talk because he was very little.

Brooke N.:  All the people didn't like him because he wanted a friend and the rabbit throwed him in the pond. He wanted a friend and nobody would let him be a friend. I liked it.

Brooke B.:  I liked it when he got hit with the nut by the squirrel. I liked it when he got pushed into the pond by the rabbit. I liked it when he was sitting on the mailbox. I liked it when Old Owl slammed the door in front of the bear's face. He thought mouse would come out and play with him so he sat on a log then he standed on his head then he laid on his back, but mouse wouldn't come. Then he hanged on a branch, and then mouse comed and the branch started to break and then he fell on his head. Then he said, "I know. Maybe the songbirds will play with me." Then he climbed up on a tree and then the songbirds flew around his head and then he got so dizzy that he fell off the tree. I liked when his friends were all standing in his front yard and then they played and played and played.

Bella: I liked it cause at the ending I liked it when they were running around the tree. They were friends.

Brady:  I liked it. He was trying to find a pal. He kept saying, "Grrrr." That means he'll bite. He wasn't really going to bite.

Allison:  I did like it. The mother was going to give cookies.

Hayden:  Him friends didn't like him because he say, "Grrrr!' 'cause he a bear.

Dev: He was grrrrring. I liked the book.

Daniel: I liked the words and I loved the baby. I didn't like the way his friends were acting. When he came up to see the rabbit he was pushing him in the river. They all did mean things to him. When he went grrrr they run away from him because they thought he was going to eat them. He couldn't say anything else because he's a baby. The owl said that you shouldn't be afraid to him because he wasn't going to eat them. The mom brought cookies out while they were all swinging. It was a happy one.

PK Responses

Emmett: I like this page because they're all playing at his house.

Mack: I liked this book because the Owl slammed the door and he opened it a little and then the bear started crying a little . . .

Eva joins in: And then he cried a lot. This is my favorite part because Owl said he couldn't talk yet and be nice.

Mack: And my else favorite part is when Owl came over into his house.

Katherine: I liked it because at the end they started to chase.

Emelyn: He was crying because Owl was so mean.

Acadia: I like the endpapers. I liked when he was waiting and waiting for the little mouse. I don't have mouses in my house. They live in little holes in your house. Do you have mouses in your house?

Me: Gee, I hope not.

Acadia: I like this one [illustration of all the little animals playing together] because his friends are not scared anymore.

Camryn:  He was sad because he wanted someone play with. Someone was doing something busy. They were folding laundry. I love this page [Mother Bear bringing cookies to Growl Bear and his friends at the end of the story] because I love it so much.

Kaitlyn: At the first page he walked with his Teddy Bear. Then he was there to Rabbit's house, to his friend Rabbit. And then he went to the mouses' house. I liked where the mouse ran away 'cause he was catching the mouse. He bunked his head and he started crying. Then he knocked on Old Owl's door again and then he said, "Grrrr!" Old Owl said, "I told you to stay away." He started crying. He went home and his friends waited and waited for him to come out and play with them. They played tag. Growl Bear was happy.

Mikayla:  The mouse ranned over there. He was chasing the mouse. The mouse was sad if the bear grabbed him in his hand. [Flips to another page.] That mommy bear chases that rabbit give him some cookies. And I like the wolf [squirrel] because he's not ascared of anything.

Summer looked through the book and pointed out her favorite illustration in which Mother Bear is bringing cookies out to the little animal friends.