The Biggest Bear facts for kids
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| Author | Lynd Ward |
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| Illustrator | Lynd Ward |
| Country | United States |
| Genre | Children's picture book |
| Published | 1952 by Houghton |
The Biggest Bear is a classic children's picture book written and illustrated by Lynd Ward. It first came out in 1952. This book is special because it won the Caldecott Medal in 1953 for its amazing pictures. These illustrations were made using a type of paint called casein paint.
About the Book's Creator
This book was a first for Lynd Ward! It was the very first children's picture book where he both wrote the story and drew all the pictures. He used a special kind of paint called casein paint for the illustrations.
Ward chose to set The Biggest Bear in the wild, forest areas of Northern Ontario, Canada. This was a place he knew well. When he was a boy, his parents took him to Sault Ste. Marie to help him get better after being sick. After that, his family spent their summers near a lake close to Echo Bay. This area was not far from the border between the United States and Canada.
What Happens in The Biggest Bear?
The story is about a young boy named Johnny Orchard. He feels a bit jealous because his neighbors have bear pelts (bear skins) hanging on their barns. So, Johnny decides to go hunting for the biggest bear in the valley.
However, Johnny doesn't find a huge bear. Instead, he finds a small bear cub. He becomes friends with the cub by giving it sweet maple sugar. Johnny then brings the bear home as his pet.
As the bear grows, it gets very big and eats a lot! It starts to cause problems for Johnny's family and their neighbors because of its huge appetite. After the neighbors complain to Johnny's father, Johnny tries three times to take the bear back to the woods. But each time, the bear follows Johnny right back home.
Finally, Johnny and his father decide they have to solve the problem. They think the only way is to shoot the bear. Johnny takes the bear far into the woods. But while he is getting his rifle ready, the bear runs off. It runs right into a live trap that has maple sugar inside it!
Soon, men who set the trap arrive. They had set it to catch animals for a zoo. They take Johnny's bear to the zoo. Now, Johnny can visit his bear anytime he wants to.
