All bookseller links are provided so you can get more information about a book. We have affiliate relationships with Barefoot Books, Amazon.com, and Tapestry Books. All revenue generated from sales through these venues is used strictly to cover website costs and minimize donation requests and fundraising campaigns.
Encourage your kids to read alternative materials during summer and other free time from school. Reading cookbooks, ma... More
Summary: It is quite lonely, not to mention cold, at the North Pole. Polar Bear had the winter blahs, so he decided to ask his friends for help. Over the next few weeks he kept Postman Penguin quite busy, sending letters and receiving answers (and some pretty cool amenities for his igloo! This picture book engages kids in reading with the pull-out letters.
Type of Reading: bedtime story, family reading, anytime reading, read aloud book, interactive reading, middle grade reader
Recommended Age: read together: 4 to 8; read yourself: 7 to 10
Interest Level: 4 to 8
Age of Child: Started reading with 6-year-old girl.
Little Kid Reaction: We get lots of requests to read this one. Our daughter particularly likes helping by opening the letters. She has also spent a lot of time just exploring the pages, because the illustrations have a lot to offer, beyond just being paired with the text.
Big Kid Reaction: What a fun book! Although it's hard to know whether to start with the text or to open the letter, it is fun to read together. We love that you can travel the globe and learn about all kinds of bears.
Pros: Kids love mail, and this book will not only feed that interest, but also lets them explore the world.
Cons: Sometimes you need to read the text on the page and THEN the letter, sometimes the reverse. It would be nice to have a little envelope cue to help.
Borrow or Buy: Buy. This is a book that's sure to be enjoyed many times, and will grow with your child, particularly as they learn more about the world in school.
Educational Themes: There is a lot to do with this book. You can cover the globe, meeting a bear from many continents: brown bear (Alaska), koala bear (Australia), panda bear (China), polar bear (Arctic), spectacle bear (Peru), sun bear (Malaysia). You can also use the book as a primer for letter writing, or even start your own letter group.
Notes: Unable to find link on borders.com or bn.com.
Other Reviews: We could not locate this book at bn.com, borders.com, or on the Scholastic, Inc. websites. We’re interested in your review. Please enter your Name (and blog in Parenthesis), then copy/paste your post link in the URL field. With a link exchange, we both benefit because interested readers can visit you too!
