Bear Has a Belly

A 2023 Texas 2×2 Reading List Selection from the author of Animals Move, another Big, Little Concepts photographic celebration of children, animals, and our wonderful, diverse bodies, now available in board book format! 

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In this multilayered Big, Little Concepts book for preschoolers, explore body parts along with animals and celebrate the differences and similarities of our wonderful bodies 


Bear has a belly: 

A soft, round belly. 

Bear has a belly.

I do too! 


Do you have a nose like Fox, cheeks like Squirrel, and a tongue like Frog does? In rhythmic text perfect for an energetic read-aloud, Bear Has a Belly points out Moose’s legs, Otter’s back, and Duck’s feet, inviting little ones to chime in with every body part they share in common. Bright photographs of the animal friends are paired with images of real children of diverse backgrounds and abilities who are joyfully engaging with that body part.  


Jane Whittingham, author of Animals Move and A Good Day Ducks, channels her expertise as a children’s librarian into yet another celebration of active preschooler fun. The chant-along text supports pattern recognition for language learning and reading readiness, and a closing spread of enriching age-appropriate activities invite further exploration and learning.  


“The format, repetition, and neutral observations make this a refreshing title among body books for toddlers and preschoolers…A welcome message of appreciation for human (and animal!) bodies.”—Kirkus Reviews 


“This entertaining activity book will work well for one-on-one sharing and as a toddler storytime selection, since it encourages children to shout out the refrain while pointing to the body part being named. Due to the repetition, this title could also serve as a beginning reader for slightly older children.”—Booklist 


★ ” What a great book about body parts for the young child! Sharp, vivid closeup photographs of animals and kids demonstrate that they both have ears, eyes, a nose, etc. Simple, sing-song text invites the reader to interact with the book.”—Youth Services Book Review ★ Starred Review 


“As charming as its cover implies.”—School Library Journal, Fuse 8