Author: Bill Martin Jr. and Eric Carle

Birth to 5 Months ConceptPoetry/SongsPredictable Text

The well-known story Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See?, is retold in a simpler, edited book that infants can enjoy. The cloth pages are soft enough for tiny hands, and the flexible side handle will encourage grasping. Most of the colorful illustrations are on a white background, while the final pages with Mama and Baby bear are in dark yellow, similar to the original book’s cover. The contrast will help draw your baby’s focus to the animals.

Before, During and After Reading

Cuddle with your baby. Position your baby comfortably in your lap and let baby feel and explore the book if interested. Make eye contact with your baby as you read the story.

Touch the animals on each page as you read the story and say their names. Listen and look for your baby’s responses (noises, hand flapping, kicking) to the pictures and the sound of your voice.

 

Encourage more exploration of the book. Set the book out with other toys during floor and tummy time to encourage your baby to reach and raise her head. Reread the story during active times, such as during floor play or while your baby is sitting in a bouncy chair. For more fun, make additional animal noises for the animals, such as “hoot” or “who” for the owl.

Find more engaging books and reading guides for babies birth to five months, and try some fun, easy activities to strengthen baby's pre-reading skills.