Synopses & Reviews
What do a frisky dachshund and a slightly timid stuffed bear have in common? They're best friends. In these three sweet, funny, and meltingly tender stories, Laura Vaccaro Seeger, creator of such distinctive concept books as The Hidden Alphabet, Lemons are Not Red, Walter Was Worried, and Black? White! Red? Night!, proves she is as fine a writer as she is an artist and designer. In "Bear in the Chair" Bear wants to go outside and play with Dog, but can't seem to get down from a very high chair. Dog uses his long slinky back to come to Bear's aid, and everything turns out fine...well, almost. In "Play with Me, Play With Me" Dog wants attention, but Bear is engrossed in a book (about a dog and a bear, of course) and wants time to himself. Or so he thinks. And in "Dog Changes His Name" Bear helps Dog choose the perfect new name, with surprising results. In this first of several books about the exploits of two best friends, Laura Vaccaro Seeger has created characters who follow in the distinguished footsteps of Frog and Toad and Henry and Mudge.
Review
“Told with simplicity and charm, this story is appropriate for sharing aloud or for newly confident readers.”—School Library Journal “In three brief stories the reader quickly becomes attached to Dog and Bear, and feels their connection. . . . As in all successful friendship stories, the balance keeps shifting between the two, with Dog and Bear taking turns being the friend-in-need and the friend indeed; and each story comes to a small, satisfying finish.”—The Horn Book, Starred Review
Synopsis
Laura Vaccaro Seeger's highly praised concept books have introduced children to colors, opposites, emotions, and the alphabet. Now she guides children on the first steps to reading with three sweet, funny stories about a stuffed bear and a frisky dachshund who happen to be best friends. Simple, engaging texts and bright, colorful pictures make this a perfect book for emergent readers to read by themselves or to share with friends. And in Dog and Bear, readers will discover two chaming characters, ready to take their place on the shelves next to Henry and Mudge, Frog and Toad, and George and Martha. Dog and Bear: Two Friends, Three Stories is the winner of the 2007 Boston Globe - Horn Book Award for Picture Books.
Synopsis
A classic story from award-winning artist Laura Vaccaro Seeger, author and illustrator of the Caldecott Honor book First the Egg, now repackaged in a brand-new format for beginning readers.
Synopsis
Dog and Bear are best friends. When Bear is stuck on a chair, Dog helps him get down. When Dog wants to play, Bear plays with him. And when Dog wants to change his name, Bear helps him choose a new one . . . or does he?
About the Author
Laura Vaccaro Seeger is a New York Times best-selling author and illustrator and the recipient of a 2008 Caldecott Honor, Theodor Seuss Geisel Honors for both 2009 and 2008, a 2007 New York Times Best Illustrated Book Award, and the 2007 Boston Globe/Horn Book Award for Best Picture Book. Her books include First the Egg, The Hidden Alphabet, and the Dog and Bear books, among others. Raised on Long Island, New York, Seeger began drawing at two years old and never stopped. For as long as she remembers, she wanted to write picture books. She received her B.F.A. degree at the School of Fine Art and Design at SUNY Purchase in Westchester, New York, and then moved to Manhattan, where she worked as an animator, artist, and editor in the network television business. Seeger lives in Rockville Centre, Long Island, with her husband, Chris, their two sons, Drew and Dylan, and their dog, Copper. She loves painting, surfing, tennis, playing the piano, and spending time with her family. She takes long walks at the beach every day and paints in her studio every night.
Reading Group Guide
Singing with children helps develop their language skills, in particular, phonological awareness. When
we sing, we enunciate the words clearly, emphasizing the syllables, the rhythm of the language becomes self-evident, and it is easier to identify rhyming words. have fun with these two songs:
Where, Oh Where Has My Little Dog Gone
Oh where, oh where has my little dog gone?
Oh where, oh where can he be?
With his ears cut short and his tail cut long,
Oh where, oh where can he be?
Six Little Dogs
Six little dogs that I once knew,
Fat ones, skinny ones, fair ones too.
But the one little dog with the brown curly fur,
He led the others with a grr, grr, grr.
Grr, grr, grr.
Grr, grr, grr.
He led the others with a grr, grr, Grr!
This is an easy activity for kids and it helps them develop letter awareness: as they work with the Alpha-Bits letters, ask them to identify them. Ask them to spell Dog and Bear and other words that appear in the stories: Bone, Toy, etc.
Alphabet Necklace or Bracelet
Easy activity for kids to do on their own at the end of the event.
INGREDIENTS:
1. Licorice—long for necklace or short for bracelet
2. Alphabet cereal
DIRECTIONS:
1. Make one knot in one end of the licorice.
2. Kids string cereal on to the licorice.
3. Tie the two ends of the licorice together.
4. Wear and eat!
Cupcakes
Bake cupcakes ahead of time and let kids decorate at the end of story time.
INGREDIENTS:
1. Flat bottom ice cream cones
2. yellow cake mix
3. Vanilla and chocolate canned frosting
DIRECTIONS:
1. Fill each ice cream cone with cake mix.
2. Place cones in a muffin pan. Bake at 300 degrees until golden or cake bounces back when touched.
3. Remove from oven and let cool.
4. Supply frosting and let kids decorate their cakes as they add their own toppings such as sprinkles,
m&ms, candies, coconut, etc.