Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See? ~ Bill Martin Jr and Eric Carle (1967, Harcourt Brace & Company))

Summary: This is a color picture book designed for young children between the ages of 0-8. It teaches color and animal identification, prediction skills, and sequencing.

The book is set up in a question answer format. The reader asks each animal "what do you see?" The animal answers, "I see a ___ looking at me." Children can predict what animal will be on the next page and the color of the animal. Near the end of the book, one of the animals sees a teacher and the teacher sees the students. At this point the books, reviews all of the animals included in it.


My Review: This is a book I love to read to my son. The pictures are clear and not cluttered by surrounding objects which makes it easier to focus on the text. The text is great because it repeats and he is at the point where he can almost read with me. He can predict what is coming on each page and it helps to keep him interested. This is a great book to have and I recommend this for every child, definitely a favorite. 

Author Information & Illustrator Information
Bill Martin Jr. was an established author and illustrator when he asked Eric Carle to do the illustrtion for Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See? This would be the start of Eric Carle's writing career.

Eric Carle was born in Syracuse, NY in 1929 then moved to Germany when he was 6. He returned to New York in 1952 and got a job as a graphic designer. After Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What do You See?, Eric Carle went on to write and illustrate many children's books. Many of which I am proud to say I own and can share with my son.

Bill Martin Jr. has written over 300 children's books over his over 60 span as an author and illustrator. He was also a teacher and elementary school principal. He also developed a literature-based reading programs Sounds in Language and The Instant Readers. It is sad to say that Bill Martin Jr. is no longer with us but he will be remembered as a great children's book author and illustrator.

Genre: Color
Theme/Skill: Prediction Skills, Color & Animal Identification, Sequencing
Age Level: 0-8 years

Pre-reading activity: Ask students what they think the story might be about. Ask students what clues helped them make those predictions.

Post-reading activity: Ask students the order that the animal appeared in the book. A teacher I work with had pictures of each of the animals (color appropriately) and the students put them in order on a felt board.