Jesse Bear, what will you wear?

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Jesse Bear, what will you wear?

September 9, 2010 by theyellowdesk

This week the wee ones and I have started on an odyssey of reading enjoyment. I am using the book and curriculum called “Before Five in a Row”. We read, discuss, craft, and enjoy some delightful books.

The thing I love about “Before Five in a Row” (which I ordered off Amazon) is that it is FULL of fantastic ideas not only for engaging in literature but also for life with small children. If you love books like me, then you’ll appreciate the literature suggestions, the discussion topics, and the crafts. All in all, a great buy!

The first book we loved reading was “Jesse Bear, What Will You Wear?” by Nancy White Carlstrom with beautiful illustrations by Bruce Degen. I love this book. The rhymes are silly and sweet and fun to listen to. It’s just the best. Go to your library and get it right now, please!

Believe it or not, Lucy loves this book. But you can’t tell by her face right at this moment.

We basically read the book every day for several days (ideally five, but we’ve read the Jesse Bear book for about 10 days straight). Then you can use the resource book to give you ideas for crafts or conversation starters.

We made these Jesse Bears out of a grocery bag and then “dressed” them.

Here are the crafters, being crafty and eating glue sticks.

Another time we read the book Lucy and I talked about the expressions on the bears faces. I asked her “How do you know they love each other?” and then we talked about how their faces looked or what their bodies were doing to show love.

My favorite page in the book doesn’t have any words. It just has the Momma Bear pushing a gleeful Jesse Bear on a swing. The Daddy Bear walks through the gate and opens his arms up to reach for his baby. Pretty much this is an exact reinactment of what happens at our house every night around 5:30 p.m.

I’ll continue to post the books we read and the fun stuff we do. Believe me, it’s nothing fancy or highly organized. If it were complicated we wouldn’t be doing it. It’s all about loving books and reading them to babies.