Sneezy Bear by Neil Griffiths and Janette Louden

Sneezy Bear by Neil Griffiths and Janette Louden
Buy Sneezy Bear by Neil Griffiths and Janette Louden at Amazon.co.uk or Amazon.com
Category: For Sharing
Reviewer: Jo Heffer
Summary: Sneezy Bear tells the story of a very hungry bear who, every time he attempts to eat a meal, is thwarted by a bout of uncontrollable sneezing. The consequences are often quite catastrophic, and the poor bear is worried that he will never manage to get any food in his stomach. Will he have to go hungry all day or will he find a solution to his problem? You will just have to read this entertaining story with your child in order to find out.
Buy? Yes	Borrow? Yes
Pages: 28	Date: June 2011
Publisher: Red Robin Books
External links: Author's website
ISBN: 978-1905434893
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At the beginning of 'Sneezy Bear', we meet Bear who is enjoying a soak in the river. Although he would be happy to luxuriate in the water all day, he starts to feel hungry so decides that he needs to go in search of some food. First he spots some tasty looking salmon but just as he is about to grab one, he lets out an almighty sneeze that causes a huge splash which allows all of the fish to escape. Next he spots a cherry tree, but before he can taste the juicy fruit, he sneezes yet again and the cherries explode everywhere leaving nothing to eat.

This is the way that the story continues with Bear spotting lots of delicious edible things but always sneezing before he gets to eat them. Eventually he discovers a bee hive and again starts sneezing in a big way. Although he becomes splattered with honey, this turns out not to be a problem, as he just starts licking his fur and finally has the feast that he has been longing for – much to the annoyance of the bees!

'Sneezy Bear' is a lovely simple story that I am sure that most small children will enjoy. My daughter loved the fact that every time the bear thought that he was about to enjoy a meal, he sneezed instead, causing all sorts of mayhem. Of course, you do not appreciate the full extent of the story from the words alone as it is the very funny illustrations that really tell the tale of what is happening. From these you can see the explosive damage each time Bear sneezes as well as sympathising with his upset looks every time he misses out on a tasty meal. All of the pictures are very bright and attractive and have little details worth looking out for such as the ladybird who appears on every page and could well be the cause of Bear's problems.

The text is quite interesting too. The print is big and bold with not too many words on any page. Some words that need to be emphasised are bigger and every time that Bear sneezes, the word 'Atishoo' appears in very big letters almost dancing and jumping over the page. There is also some repetition in the text which will help younger children join in with some of the story telling. The author, Neil Griffiths, uses some very tempting words too, particularly when Bear is looking forward to the various meals, describing them as 'yummy', 'scrummy' and 'stickerly delicious'.

'Sneezy Bear' is not a very long book but it is very enjoyable. It is a fun story accompanied by many amusing illustrations. It is a book that should be shared and one that both children and parents can enjoy. If you want more funny books about bears, you could also take a look at The Very Cranky Bear by Nick Bland or A Visitor For Bear by Bonny Becker and Kady MacDonald Denton.

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You can read more book reviews or buy Sneezy Bear by Neil Griffiths and Janette Louden at Amazon.co.uk Amazon currently charges £2.99 for standard delivery for orders under £20, over which delivery is free.
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