With the season changing and leaves taking on their lovely fall shades, one doesn’t need many reasons to head to scenic Western Massachusetts. But there’s one more way to entice your kids along for the ride this year: A scavenger hunt for a very special Brown Bear and its friends.
Did you know that children’s classic Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What do you See? turns 50 this year? In celebration, The Eric Carle Museum has organized a pop-up exhibition, posting images from the book in selected sites all over Amherst, MA for you to discover. Hike Bare Mountain (to see Brown Bear), stroll through a wildflower field in Hampshire College (to see Red Bird), get a bite at the Black Sheep Deli (you got it – to see Black Sheep!) or visit any of 11 other sites to spot a Brown-Bear-friend. You can even tweet your discoveries and selfies at #brownbeareverywhere. The pop-up exhibition continues through Oct 9. See Brown Bear Turns 50 for more details.
If you can’t visit Amherst (or even if you can), don’t miss this super video of Eric Carle himself reading from the book. Your kids might enjoy following along.
Brown Bear, Brown Bear was written by Bill Martin Jr., and illustrated by Eric Carle in 1967. It has since been published in 31 languages, with 16 million copies sold. It was certainly a beloved book in our family for many, many years. Carle says that what makes the book so strong is the “simple, rhythmic, heartbeat” of Martin’s text. I wholeheartedly agree. Carle’s colorful, gentle illustrations do their part too, of course!
We can’t make it out to Amherst this fall, but if you go, please let me know whether you spotted Brown Bear.
And thanks to the The Boston Globe’s Cristela Guerra for this great bookish tip.
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