Sharing Our Stories

Lexi noticed my stack of new library books and came over to listen. The Bears in the Bed and the Great Big Storm by Paul Bright was her selection. This is the story of Bear and Mrs. Bear who are asleep in their bed on a stormy night and their three bear children who one by one, thinking there is a monster outside, come in to the bedroom scared. As parents sometimes do, Bear and Mrs. Bear scoot over, inviting each little one into their bed for comfort. "There's no such thing as monsters…. What a scaredy-bear you are," Bear tells each of his cubs. The book's charming illustrations, combined with just the right amount of scariness for these four year olds was an instant hit. Lexi was soon joined by Aaron, Teddy, Ruby, Mia and Aden. "Read it again!" said Ruby as we finished the scary part. "I have bad dreams sometimes," Aden shared. "Me too!" said Mia. "Sometimes I wake up in the night," Lexi continued. We read the bear story three times, pausing in between to continue sharing our own stories of scary times, with the children offering words of sympathy and comfort to each other.