Donna Davis's Reviews > Bear Stays Up for Christmas

This precious little picture book tells the story of the bear whose friends want him to stay up for Santa. This is one in a series of children's picture books involving this bear, each one told in congenial rhyming verse appropriate for a preschooler or a toddler that is ready to listen to a story. Each page has roughly four lines of text in adorable rhythmic cadence, and the pictures fill the entire page with rich color. In the end, the bear stays up after his friends fall asleep, because he wants to be the one to surprise them with gifts. Santa puts in a brief appearance; there is no religious content. If the reaction of my two-and-a-half year old grandson is any measure, this one is a resounding success...not to mention that it's engaging enough that parents won't object to having to read it repeatedly.