Top 11 Children's Books About Bears Updated 04 /2024

Do you think your child likes nature or just likes to learn new things? There are a lot of great books for kids about bears that let you do both! Many teach about different types of bears and how they hibernate, where they live, and what they eat. Others use bears as main characters to show powerful messages and make a fun storyline. These books can help curious young people who want to learn more about the world around them. Here are twenty great books about bears that you and your child can read together.

Corduroy by Don Freeman

Book Type: Board

Age: 1-3

As soon as you walk into the store, Corduroy is there. He is a young bear who lives on the shelf and is looking for a new friend who will love and take him home with them. Because Corduroy doesn't have a button, Lisa's mother thinks he looks a little messy. When Lisa and Corduroy meet, they both know they belong together. To find his lost button, Corduroy has to be brave. He looks all over the department store at night and meets a lot of people who have interesting stories to tell as well.

For more than 50 years, Corduroy has been one of the best books about bears for young kids. It talks about how important it is to be friends and to believe in someone. A lot of things can be learned from this, like how to be persistent and brave. Because of the illustrations and adventurous storyline, this book is a timeless classic that is great for any bookshelf.

Teddy Bear Picnic by Jimmy Kennedy

Book Type: Picture

Age: 3-8

teddy bears are going to have a picnic right now. They're all having a picnic down in the woods today. Their beds are warm and cozy, but they've all gotten up and left them to come together and celebrate with each other. Teddy Bear Picnic is a fun book for everyone to read because it shows a favorite childhood song.

This book is so interesting and fun for the whole family. It not only has cute teddy bears that your child will love, but it also shows one of the most popular and well-known American songs for kids. Song-singing will help your child stay interested and will help them think of ways to join in on the teddy bear's picnic. Make sure to give your child a copy of this magical book. It will help him or her understand how much fun it is to have this kind of party!

Hibernation Station by Michelle Meadows

Book Type: Picture

Age: 3-8

Everyone is at the train station. Why? For winter, it's time to go to sleep. Make your way to hibernation with bears, chipmunks, frogs, turtle frogs, mice, lizards, and bats. They're all on their way to sleep for the winter. They're excited, though. Yes, they will get to sleep.

This is a great book about bears hibernating because it turns the subject into a fun adventure. During this time, you learn more about each animal and how they hibernate just like bears do. There is also a rhyme to this book, which makes it great for bedtime. Lie down with your child and let them fall asleep like the bears in this book.

Good Night, Baby Bear by Frank Asch

Book Type:

Age: 0-3

As winter nears, Mama Bear needs to get Baby Bear ready for hibernation, so he can sleep through the winter. Her job is to find the best place for them to cuddle, but there's one thing that she can't do. When I put Baby Bear down for bed, he doesn't want to go. There is one thing Mama Bear knows how to do, though. She gets Baby Bear to fall asleep in no time at all!

This is a great book about bears for young kids. When you read this, you will learn that bears hibernate and that they sleep in caves and sometimes eat apples. As a bedtime story, it is also a great book for your own baby bear who isn't ready to close their eyes yet. As you and your child wind down, the calming illustrations and simple storyline will help you and your child get ready to say good night.

Polar Bear Island by Lindsay Bonilla

Book Type: Picture

Age: 3-8

Take a look at this polar bear, mayor of Polar Bear Island. All of Parker's wants is to keep the island as peaceful as possible. It turns out that Kirby, a fun-loving penguin, finds a beautiful island and wants to stay there for a while. No, she can't get grumpy old Parker to smile and make the island more fun for everyone.

Because this book has so many great characters, themes, and facts about polar bears, we think it's a great book to read. As Parker and Kirby talk about what they think is best for the island, it's so funny and fun to watch. But it's even better when they can agree on something together as friends. As a result of their final decision, the island is now open to everyone, even if they don't look like you. This shows how important it is to include people, even if they don't look like you. And even though this book isn't real, it gives you a lot of chances to talk about polar bears, like where they live and what they might eat.

Hush Little Polar Bear by Jeff Mach

Book Type: Board

Age: 3-6

Join one cuddly little polar bear as he travels from one magical place to another. His owner's imagination takes him from the back of a whale that sprays sea spray, to a land of tall grass where butterflies float around and the sky is blue. After all of his adventures, he is right back where he belongs: in the arms of his owner, who loves him. An adorable book about bears for little kids.

This book is great to read aloud to your child at bedtime because it is so imaginative. Watching the cute little polar bear hop from one magical place to another will make you and your child dream up new stories as you read. This book also gives you a chance to practice making predictions. As you guess where the baby polar bear might end up next, you can work on making predictions. It's also sure to make you feel warm and fuzzy when you're done reading.

The Koala Who Could by Rachel Bright

Book Type: Picture

Age: 3-5

Kevin the koala is fine with everything being the same. He likes his routine and likes to stay up where it's safe and sung. But when things change, Kevin may have to change his ways. To help him enjoy the new things that come with trying something new, join him.

This book has a great message for kids. Many kids are afraid to try new things or put themselves in new situations, and this can make them not want to do them. This book encourages kids to move out of their comfort zone and understand that change can be good and can lead to great new things. You and your child will love this book because it has bright, cute illustrations and a great rhyme scheme. You can read it together as a family.

Koala is Not a Bear by Kristin L. Gray

Book Type: Picture

Age: 4-7

Koala is so excited for camp that she thinks Bear Cabin is her palace. That is, until Kangaroo tells Koala that she isn't a bear at all, which makes her angry. Kangaroo doesn't believe Koala when she says that she looks and acts just like her friend, Grizzly, but she doesn't believe her either. What about Koala?

So many facts about koala bears make this one of the best books on bears. The main irony in this book is that koala bears are actually more closely related to kangaroos than they are to bears. At the end of the book, you learn that Koala should join Kangaroo in her cabin. A lot of clues are given to you as you read the book, and the smart ones will figure out the surprise before it happens. You learn a lot about koala bears and other types of bears and marsupials as you go. This is a great book for people who want to read something that is both funny and educational.

Zen Shorts by John J Muth

Book Type: Picture

Age: 4-8

On a day, three kids find a very big bear in their yard named Stillwater. In the last few days, this giant panda bear has moved into the neighborhood. He's here to tell you all kinds of stories. To Andy, he tells a story about the value of material things. To Michael, he talks about the difference between good and bad. To Karl, he shows what it means to hold on to anger. Through a panda bear in shorts, you can learn about three Zen Buddhist stories that are both cute and cuddly.

As a way to teach your child about another religion and culture, this book is great. It builds empathy and helps your child see the world in a new way. Your child will benefit just as much if your family practices Zen Buddhism because they will be able to see themselves in a book and see these old stories in a new way. Also, having the stories told by a wise panda bear is so fun. At some point, you will learn a little more about pandas and how they are important in Chinese culture while you go.

Chu’s First Day of School by Neil Gaiman, Adam Rex

Book Type: Board

Age: 3-7

Chu, a cute panda with a big heart, is about to start school for the first time. He's very afraid and doesn't know what to expect. He also has a problem with sneezing, and he hopes that one of his big sneezes won't scare the other kids away from him. He will go to school.

Great for kids who are about to start their first day of school: This book. The fact that Chu has the same nerves and worries as most kids can help children feel less alone. Chu shows them that it is okay to be nervous, but also that everything will be fine. This book is also great for any child who likes to read about animals. As you read this book, you'll see a lot of panda bears in Chu's class, but there are also a lot of other animals in there that kids will love to see.

The Bear Ate Your Sandwich by Julia Sarcone-Roach

Book Type: Picture 

Age: 3-7

When a black bear makes his way into the city, this book tells his story. He finds an unattended sandwich at the park and eats it. When he gets out of the car, he walks around the city and meets happy accidents, funny people, and sensory delights. No matter what happens, by the end of this story, the reader will have one question: Can we trust this mischievous narrator?

This book is a lot of fun to read. There's a chance that the bear isn't telling the whole truth. By the end, kids who have found the little white lies and untruths will be happy and want to read the book again to find more things they missed the first time around. With your child, this is going to be a really fun and exciting read-aloud. The illustrations in this book are also very beautiful and bright. This book is one of the best books about bears out there.

Finding Winnie: The True Story of the World’s Most Famous Bear by Lindsay Mattick

Book Type: Picture

Age: 4-8

Almost everyone has heard of Winnie the Pooh, but not many people have heard of the bear that inspired him. Before going to treat horses for World War I, a veterinarian named Harry Colebourn did what he felt in his heart and saved a black bear cub. In Winnipeg, Canada, he named her Winnie because that's where his home is. In Finding Winnie, Colebourn's great-granddaughter tells the story of how these two amazing friends met and how they came to inspire a real-life boy named Christopher Robin and his father, who went on to write the great adventures of an old bear.

This picture book won the Caldecott Medal, and there's no doubt about it. The story behind the first Winnie is not only interesting, but it is also very well written. The illustrations, too, work perfectly with and add to the story. If you're a young person who likes to read, this book is for you. You'll go on a journey of friendship and kindness.

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