Big Bear Ball

by Joanne Ryder

Book Overview

Welcome friends, welcome all, welcome to the Big Bear Ball! Deep in the forest, under a full moon and starry sky, bears sway and stomp to the big bear beat. Wake the moles and rouse the foxes! Even a... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0060279559
• ISBN13: 9780060279554
• Release Date: May 2002
• Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers
• Length: 1 Pages
• Weight: 0.95 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.3" x 9.4" x 12.3"
• Age Range: 4 to 6 years
• Grade Range: Preschool to Grade 1

Customer Reviews

A Must For Researchers

As Continental forces and Virginia militia units were engaged in winning independence, American quartermasters and provisioners struggled to provide these units with all the necessities of life, from meals and guns to meat, fodder for horses, the horses themselves, firewood, and every other type of material. Much of this was requisitioned from the civilian population and certificates were issued payable in either continental or state funds, depending on the units supplied, upon presentation to court authorities. Thousands of these certificates issued to Virginians were duly entered by the courts, and they provide a fascinating insight into the period of the Revolution. These "Publick" Claims booklets contain interesting and useful information about the contributions of ordinary people to the Revolutionary War. They provide some details of people's service in the militia or as guards for prisoners of war; they indicate where some bodies of troops were at particular times; and they identify providers of horses, wagons, cattle, grain, or other supplies. Much of the information in these booklets cannot be found anywhere else, which makes the surviving records particularly valuable. Also remarkable is the fact that records survived from virtually every county in the state at that time with the exception of the newly formed Kentucky counties. This makes the collection even more valuable in covering areas which heretofore in this time period have suffered from a lack of personal data. The "Virginia Publick Claims" are published by counties. In addition to a faithful transcription by Janice Luck Abercrombie and the late Richard Slatten, a complete index is provided for each county booklet. This series is an extremely important genealogical tool for searchers in Revolutionary-era materials.

Have a Bear of a Good Time.....

The sun sets, the moon rises, and here come the bears, arriving on foot through the forest and in brightly colored hot air balloons. "A broad-beamed caller/howdys all:/Welcome, friends,/to our Big Bear Ball." The music plays, the bears begin to dance, and a rip-roarin'good time is had by all. "Small bears sway/and slap your paws./Tall bears stomp/and pop your jaws.// Two paws up,/waving high./Catch some stars/and scratch the sky." And as the celebration moves through the forest, moles and foxes are awakened and join in, frogs jump up and sing along, and even an old alligator joins all the fun.....Joanne Ryder's engaging text begs to be read aloud, is filled with rhythm, rhyme, energy and motion, and complemented by Steven Kellogg's bold, vibrant and expressive artwork. Eye-popping illustrations dazzle with bright colors, marvelous facial expressions, and woodland detail that is sure to captivate little ones as they linger before turning the page. Together word and art create an entertaining and joyous, finger-snapping, toe-tapping romp. Perfect for preschoolers, Big Bear Ball is a winner, and a picture book kids will want to read again and again. "Go lightly, sprightly,/on your way./May you dance/with the music/as we welcome the day. // Farewell one!/Farewell all!/See you next full moon/at our Big Bear Ball."