Bear Came Along facts for kids
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| Author | Richard T. Morris |
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| Illustrator | LeUyen Pham |
| Publisher | Little, Brown, and Company |
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Publication date
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June 1, 2019 |
| Pages | unpaged |
| Awards | Caldecott Medal |
| ISBN | 9780316464451 |
Bear Came Along is a picture book from 2019. It was written by Richard T. Morris and beautifully illustrated by LeUyen Pham. This book tells the exciting story of different animals who go on a big adventure down a river. It came out on June 1, 2019. The author, Richard T. Morris, got the idea for the book from his own memories of his first time at an overnight camp. The amazing pictures, made with watercolors, ink, and gouache (a type of paint), were very special to the illustrator, LeUyen Pham. People who reviewed the book loved how the illustrations showed many different feelings. They also felt the pictures perfectly matched the book's main idea about how important it is to be connected to others. Bear Came Along received good reviews and earned a 2020 Caldecott honor.
How the Book Was Made
The author, Richard T. Morris, shared that the character of the bear was inspired by his first time camping overnight. The illustrator, LeUyen Pham, said that as soon as she read the story, she knew exactly how the finished book should look. She was very excited to work on it.
Pham started by creating the end pages of the book. The ones at the beginning are black and white, and the ones at the end are in color. This helped her understand the world of the story. Pham felt that the book came out at a time when people in the United States were often divided. She saw it as a chance to tell a story about how everyone can come together.
The book was officially released on June 1, 2019. There is also an audio version of the book. It is read by Joshua Manning and uses fun sound effects and music to bring the river journey to life.
What Happens in the Story?
The story begins with a river that feels empty. Then, a bear comes along and accidentally falls into the river. The bear floats downstream on a log. This starts an amazing adventure! Soon, other animals join the bear on the river. These include a frog, some turtles, a beaver, raccoons, and a duck.
Each animal has something special they are good at or know. But they also have things they don't know. For example, the beaver is great at finding the way, but doesn't know about unexpected turns in the river. After the duck joins the group, they all face a big waterfall. Luckily, the animals land safely. They then realize something important: they were all "in it together."
Art and Storytelling
LeUyen Pham, the illustrator, really liked how few words the book had. She felt the story was "so unexpected" from the author, Morris. The book's pictures are made using watercolors, ink, and gouache. One reviewer, Julie Danielson, said the art looked like cartoons from the 1980s.
Pham wanted to draw readers in by using both black and white and colorful pictures. She told her publisher that this book was very special in her 20-year career. She felt that Morris had created a strong, simple story, and she got to add all the beautiful details.
Brian Wilson, a librarian, described the book's words as "action-packed yet reflective." He noticed how Morris often used the word 'until'. This helped move the story forward and created a clear structure for the illustrations.
The way the pictures are drawn helps make both the exciting and funny parts of the adventure even better. Many reviewers talked about the thrilling waterfall scene. It's shown from the animals' point of view. Wilson called it "one of 2019's great showstopping picture-book moments."
Reviewers also praised Pham's use of colors. She used everything from dull grays to bright, lively shades. These colors helped show the book's main ideas about friendship and how important it is to connect with others. A reviewer for Kirkus Reviews wrote that the book has a deep message, even for very young readers: "We are all in this together, and our differences strengthen our unity." Many also praised how well Pham showed the animals' feelings. Wilson pointed out that she is excellent at showing "body language and facial expressions."
Other parts of the book's design also add to its charm. The cover picture doesn't show the author's or illustrator's names. This helps set up the adventure that is about to happen. The forest drawn on the end pages looks like a map of the United States. The end pages at the front show the animals living their lives separately. The end pages at the back act like an "after the story" section. Reviewers also liked how the illustrations were laid out. They especially liked Pham's clever use of pictures that spread across two pages and smaller panels.
