Jez Alborough
Walker Books
Age 3-7
A funny, rhyming story about a giant bear who’s sobbing because he’s lost his teddy.
Tiny Eddy has lost his, too, and they come together in their joint search for their cuddly bears. There’s lots to talk and laugh about in this engaging picture book.
Share the story
Read aloud
Before reading aloud together, read it through to get the tune of this highly patterned story. This will help you to read it aloud expressively to build enjoyment and suspense.Talk about the front cover together before you start. What do children think the story will be about?
Join in
As children tune in to the pattern they can join in by predicting the rhyme. Children will want to reread a story they have enjoyed. This helps them get to know the story and join in with reading the words on the page.
Retell the story
Using the pictures, children can tell the story in their own words, perhaps wearing a bear mask, see below.
Talk together
Talk about the story together. What do children think it was about? Who was scared and why? How were Eddy and the bear similar but different?
Watch the story
From Walker Books Author Jed Alborough reads the story
Things to make and do
Make a mask
Make a simple bear mask using the inside of a card cereal packet. Cut out a child-sized head shape with ears for children to draw a bear’s face. They could wear their mask to tell the story from the bear’s point of view. Or you can download a template here.
Create a Stage Set
Use a shoebox with one side folding down to create a ‘stage set’. Children can decorate the inside as the woods by painting or sticking on cut-out trees. They can make bears from modelling material and make up their own bear stories, perhaps adding more characters and objects.
Lift the flap book
Make a lift the flap book to tell the story of a lost teddy bear
Is he behind the chair? Is he in the wardrobe? Is he under the table? Is he in the basket?
Design a ‘Lost’ poster
Children can make a poster of the teddy to help find it. They can draw and describe it, giving details of ways to identify the missing teddy, perhaps offer a reward and provide contact details for its return.
Rhyme games
Rhyming tennis – cut out the word cards provided and place in a pile. One player reads aloud from the top card, then the next player says a word that rhymes, for example Player 1: Teddy Player 2: Eddy
Continue taking turns to say words that rhyme, eg Ready/Steady/Freddie until you can’t think of any more. Then read the word on the next card aloud and repeat.
Rhyming pairs – download and cut out the word cards, place the word cards randomly, face up. Take turns to match words with the same spelling, eg bear/pear.
Find out more
Read more books by Jez Alborough here
Titles include:
It’s the Bear!
Hug
Yes
Cuddly Dudley
Duck the Truck
Look out Leon!
Hide and Seek
Listen and watch the story being read aloud by a fan of the book: