We’re going on a Bear Hunt

5 May 2024 I 1001kinderbuch

Author: Michael Rosen; Illustration: Helen Oxenbury; Translation: Rolf Inhauser; Original title: We’re going on a bear hunt; Publisher: Simon and Schuster; Age recommendation: 2+; Publication: 1989; Year published: 2009; Pages: 40; Binding: hardcover; Cardboard picture book; Available from Amazon

„We’re Going on a Bear Hunt“: An English classic about an adventurous family outing lovingly illustrated in watercolour by Helen Oxenbury

What does a family do on a Sunday afternoon? They go bear hunting, of course! Nothing can stop the young family of five in Michael Rosen’s „We’re Going on a Bear Hunt“.

No river to wade through. No forest with its countless stumbling roots. No cold snowstorm. They are gripped by adventure. “What a beautiful day!” they shout to each other. Will their excursion be a success? And what do you actually do when you find what you’re looking for? Be curious!

Michael Rosen is one of the most successful British children’s book authors. The “Bear Hunt” shows everyone why: Michael Rosen’s book has such a pace, a humour, an infectious joy that you want to set off on an excursion yourself.

In Helen Oxenbury, Michael Rosen has found such a witty, sensitive and profound illustrator that both have turned the book into a worldwide classic.

The book is also suitable for children learning English. The simple yet beautifully constructed sentences will engage even very young readers through their play with rhythm and sounds.

 

Michael Rosen’s “We’re going on a bear hunt” shows how wonderful shared adventures can be. The way Rosen combines humour, language play and narrative turns of phrase in his book for children makes it a timeless classic and a treasure in book shelf.

 

Note on the German translation: The book is not so well known in Germany. This could be due to the fact that the wit, freshness and pace of the English original are very difficult to translate. The translation of the edition published by Sauerländer doesn’t manage to retain the linguistic brilliance of the English classic.