Don't feed the Bear by Kathleen Doherty illustrated by Chip Wass

The setting here is a national park. Campers are having issues with the local bears who eat any food that they leave out on picnic tables - silly tourists! 

Time for action by the ranger. He erects a sign - DON'T FEED THE BEAR. I guess he did not realise that 1. Bears can read and 2. Bears can write.

Bear retaliates with his own sign - DON'T FEED THE RANGER.

And so the war of words begins. Bear purchases some new merchandise - a tshirt that reads "I am not a bear" and a matching hat "not a bear". The Ranger is not fooled so he adds a footnote to his sign DON'T FEED THE BEAR (no matter what he says).

There is power in that word don't - what happens if you cross it out? FEED THE RANGER, FEED THE BEAR (no matter what). Bear consults his dictionary and adds to his sign feed the ranger rotten eggs and slimy spinach. Of course the Ranger just makes more signs - hey you! Go ahead feed the bear wormy apples and moldy muffins.

None of this is working. Is there a different way to approach this problem. The solution will surprise and delight you. Oh and then you will want to make some smores - marshmallows and chocolate between graham crackers. Here is a recipe to use in a kitchen if you don't have a handy camp fire.

Image Source: Coles Australia supermarket

Here is the website for Kathleen Doherty. I am happy to see this book from 2018 is still available and the hard cover edition is a really good price. And here is the even cheaper paperback.

Chip Wass is an award-winning artist who designs characters and illustrations for Disney, Cartoon Network, The New York Times, ESPN, and Wendy’s. His previous books include Monster Knows Patterns, and Monster Knows Numbers (Picture Window Books).

Three Dresses by Wanda Gibson

I was so proud of my three dresses. I took care of them so I'd always have 

one to wash, one to wear and one spare. 

This is a book that should be shared with children all over Australia (and beyond). For many children this story will be so thought provoking. Imagine if your Christmas present was a new dress - I am sure most little girls would be excited. And what if you were given three dresses - now that is sure to make you extra happy. But what if the three dresses were not new? These are second-hand dresses given to you by the Lutheran church. Have your emotions just been through a roller coaster? Now think about how you feel if these are your only dresses - your best dresses - your special dresses. 

"You should have seen the joy on our faces when we put on those second-hand dresses. We were so happy."

Wanda and her family live at Hope Vale Mission. This is her story. She was born in 1946. 

"When I was a kid, I went to school and had to work on the farm. After school, I did domestic duties for the Mission staff."

Now let's continue the story. The next thing to think about as you read this book is holidays. How long do your family have for a holiday? Where do you go and how do you get there? What do you do on your holiday?  Wanda and her family have just two weeks each year. Wanda packs her three dresses, one to wear, one to wash and one spare. 

"We didn't have bags, so we'd lay our dresses on the ground and roll them up like a little swag to carry on our backs. Mum and Dad would take tools, blankets, and mayie to eat. We all had to carry so much."

Compare this with your class discussion. The family will walk to their holiday destination, they have no suitcases and on the next page we read the journey takes two days. 

So now think about where they might be going? What will they do there? Where will they stay and what will they eat?

The group arrive at the beach. They set up a camp and catch fish, gather bush tucker and tell stories. Of course, eventually the holiday ends but the little girls in the family still have their precious dresses. And for Wanda, recalling her childhood, this is a very special memory. 

Blurb UQP: When Wanda Gibson was a little girl, her mum would tell her this as they packed to go on holidays. Wanda grew up on Hope Vale Mission in Far North Queensland, and her family were allowed only one short break away from work each year. At their special spot at the beach, they camped in the sandhills, cooked fresh fish on the fire and swam in the ocean. Beautifully illustrated with Wanda’s paintings, this heart-warming true story celebrates family time, connection to place and finding joy in the simple things, like your favourite three dresses.

Thank you to UQP for sending the advance copy of Three Dresses which will be published on 30th April, 2024. Make sure you add this to your library collection - Primary and High School. Here are the teachers notes. And take a look at this excellent review from The Bottom Shelf. 

Wanda Gibson is a Nukgal Wurra woman of the Guugu Yimithirr people (on her mum’s side) and lives in Hope Vale on the Cape York Peninsula, Queensland. Her dad is a Yuuethawarra man and his country is around Cape Melville. Both of Wanda’s parents were Stolen Generation and were brought to Cape Bedford Mission when they were ten or twelve. Wanda is a master weaver – she weaves baskets, birds and fish from dried grass. She is also a painter and completed a Diploma of Visual Arts at Cairns TAFE in 2014. Wanda has five kids, eleven grandkids and five great-grandkids.

Companion books:

Come home Already! by Jory John illustrated by Benji Davies

This odd Duck and grouchy Bear make an excellent pair. Kirkus

Duck lives next door to Bear. Duck is friendly and enthusiastic. Bear is a loner who prefers to be left alone. Duck is not deterred. He wants to spend time (lots of time) with Bear. The sun is shining it's "a glorious morning full of possibility." Duck knocks on Bears door. There is no answer. Then he sees a sign - gone fishing!

"Bear's gone fishing?
He's back next week?
BEAR'S GONE FISHING?
HE'S BACK NEXT WEEK?
He's gone fishing?
Without me?
But ...
but ...
FISHING?
What am I going to do with myself until then?"

Meanwhile Bear has set off with his tent, teddy bear and map. He is happy to have some time alone.

Duck tries to entertain himself - reading, cooking, writing letters, drumming and watching a movie but he soon becomes bored.  He decides to set off to find bear.

Meanwhile Bear is not going too well. He cannot work out how to put up his tent, he forgot to pack snacks, it has started to rain and he cannot light his camp fire.

Duck arrives just in time:

"Bear it's me! Duck! From next door. I found you, ol' buddy, ol' chum."

I love the emotional aspects of this story.  Bear really does need a friend and Duck is such a happy soul but he is a little too enthusiastic.  Bear needs Duck, but only in small doses. Like all relationships theirs is a complex one.

Read this review. Here are details of the four books along with some work sheets.  I would follow this series with the book series by Bonny Becker about Mouse and Bear along with the books you can see below. Take a look at this trailer. If you want to explore another funny book about camping trips that go wrong take a look at Herman's Holiday.

Something to think about - so many of these odd couple relationships involve bears. Rabbit and Bear, Mouse and Bear, Bird (Honey) and Bear, Chook and Bear, Racoon and Bear (Herman) and now Duck and Bear. This might be a fun mini theme to explore with a class.

Herman's holiday by Tom Percival

Herman's Holiday is the second book about this special pair of friends.  Take a look at Herman's letter which is a book I discovered exactly one year ago.

Herman's holiday has such important messages:

• We are all different
• Not everyone likes the same thing
• Sometimes you need to consider another point of view
• Kindness is important

Herman and Henry decide to take a holiday but their funds are low.  They settle on a camping trip. Herman is a born camper. He takes all the right gear and he even knows how to keep his donkey moving in the right direction.  Henry has the opposite experience.  When they arrive at their camping spot they each compose a postcard to send home.

Herman writes

"Dear Uncle Harold

We're having an AMAZING time camping!

Henry's really getting into the swing of it.

He even went for a swim last night.

What fun!"

Henry writes

"Dear Aunt Winifred,

Have you ever been camping?  Well,

if you haven't, DON'T, it's AWFUL.

I'm cold, soaking wet and bored.

PS Can you please post me some hot chocolate, I forgot to bring any."

Herman finally notices that Henry is not having a great time.  His solution is kind, ingenious and utterly perfect.

One special feature of this book is the 'real' postcards that you can lift and read. Take a look at the author web site.  The publisher site has a set of activities to use with this book.  This video shows you how to draw Herman.  Here is a detailed review.