I LOVE this bear! It is made of bark, with a chain of natural berries and eucalyptus nuts around its neck. (I got it at CostPlus World Market) It is going to be part of my Christmas decorating. But I am going to use it next week and show it to the kids I read to, and read some BEAR books like these....

Good books that kids enjoy- these. Some are old and can be found on Ebay or Bookfinder, the newer ones on Amazon. They are: Beady Bear, by Don Freeman (note: a good author to collect/check out his books); We're Going on A Bear Hunt, by Helen Oxenbury- great for todddlers, even!!! Blueberries for Sal, by Robert McCloskey (another note- he is a GREAT author- get his books!!!); The Biggest Bear, by Lynd Ward; The Bear That Heard Crying, by Natalie Kinsey-Warnock; and Panda Bear, Panda Bear, What Do You See, by Bill Martin and Eric Carle (snatch their books up, too!)

And I got a moose at the same store that day, too- here he is with some good moose books-
. The books are for older kids, great ones, though- My Friend Mac, by May McNeer Lynd Ward (two great names in early childhood publishing lore- they were married, and all of his books are good, by the way); and Honk the Moose, by Phil Stong.