The Bears We Know.

Linda Ludke is a children’s librarian at the London Public Library.

A big brown house at the end of the road is full of imaginative possibilities for a young child. The unseen narrator has definite ideas about the occupants: “We have never seen the bears, but we know they are there. And we know what they do.” With great aplomb, the narrator describes how the bears spend their days sleeping in late, jumping on couches (“till the springs are gone”), and snacking on “vegetable milkshakes and syrup.”

Vlasta van Kampen’s playful watercolour illustrations add to the fun. The three bears’ abode is a messy jumble of empty potato chip bags, mismatched curtains, and scavenged furniture. They catch their toast as it pops from the toaster with a fishing net, wear flowered bathing suits in the sauna, and nap in front of the fire wearing rubber boots and clutching a teddy bear.

Originally published in 1989 as a small-format Annikin book, this larger edition is perfect for reading aloud and sharing with a group. Highly recommended.