Shh! Bears Sleeping

Praise for Shh! Bears Sleeping “The youngest bear lovers will appreciate Martin’s simple rhyming lines, accompanied by attractive pastel scenes of bear life.” –The New York Times Book Review

“The terse, evocative lines of verse give structure to this lovely picture book, which is illustrated with nicely textured, beautifully composed oil paintings. Using light and shadow effectively, the artwork captures the beauty of the forest in all seasons … this handsome picture book is highly recommended for reading aloud.” –Booklist

“Gorgeous oil paintings convey the changing cycles of the seasons as seen through the eyes of a black bear and her cubs.” –School Library Journal

“Johnson and Fancher’s oil-painted bears are stunningly realistic, yet they also have a cozy fuzziness, wrapped in dark brown warmth.” –Kirkus Reviews

“The text is both informative and inviting. Johnson and Fancher’s expansive oil paintings are softly textured, with underbrush and bear fur coats thick and tactile; the landscapes are detailed and attractive in their own right (most notably when the focus-pulling bears are back underground and out of sight), and the bear cubs are simultaneously realistic and adorable. The result is an effective entry-level natural history lesson that’s a great transition for lovers of fictional picture-book bears.” –The Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books

“Breathtaking … filled with nuance in a simple rhyming text.” –Meridian Magazine

“A wonderful introduction to the natural world, Shh! Bears Sleeping is a delight.” –The Repository

David Martin is the author of many picture books and easy-to-read books. He lives in the Northeast Kingdom of Vermont. For many years he and his wife and daughter lived in a house in the woods that he built himself; there he was able to observe the natural world at first hand.

Steve Johnson and Lou Fancher have illustrated more than fifty books together. They are enormously versatile artists who enjoy finding the perfect style for a variety of texts. They live in California.