The Legend of Sleeping Bear

Rating:
Summary: heartbreaking
Review: ...the dance of shadow and warn red light on the sand and water or Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore at sunset.

Last year Sleeping Bear, through the wonder of camping, became my home away from home. It has earned a place within my heart. I long to return.

"The Legend of" books by Kathy-Jo Wargin and Gijsbert Van Frankenhuyzen are consistent in their excellence. The artwork and prose sings. Each volume provides a glimpse of a world that has moved on, but which still puts forth rippling echoes.

The Legend of Sleeping Bear and The Legend of Leelanau are the high points in this most meritorious series. Of the two, I prefer the one reviewed here. Its text is not quite as lengthy. Therefore, it is more likely to keep the attention of young readers/listeners.

The Legend of Sleeping Bear captures the tender majesty of the Sleeping Bear region while painting a fantastic picture of the legend surrounding its origin. One cannot help being moved by this story of love.

Governor Granholm gave out copies of it at her inauguration.

I give this book a very high recommendation. If you can, visit the region. It is a truly beautiful place.

Rating:
Summary: A beautifully written and illustrated legend
Review: I bought this book for my small children during a recent vacation in Michigan. They loved it so much that I was forced to change our plans so we could visit Sleeping Bear Dunes with them! I would strongly recommend this book to anyone with small children who love magical stories. The book teaches about a parent's incredibly strong love for their children, as well as spurs interest in geography.

Rating:
Summary: A Tearjerker
Review: I have 2 small children and getting through this without making a blubbering fool of myself was almost impossible! After reading this, I sent my kids off and had a good cry. A very good story though - and being from Michigan - I just love all these books!

Rating:
Summary: A touching & thoughtful book for children and adults alike.
Review: I was impressed by this book for many reasons and on many levels. For over 20 years our family has vacationed at Glen Lake and Sleeping Bear Sand Dunes. My children grew up hearing the legend, even adding their own little touches. Until now, there has never been a book that portrayed the legend with such eloquence and heart. You not only see and hear the story - but you feel it. I am also an elementary school librarian and I read this story to all of the 500 children in our building (grades K-4). Every child, without exception, was held spellbound with the telling and a few even shed some tears. And one teacher left the room sobbing at the recounting of the mother bear's endless love. This is truly a story for all ages.

Rating:
Summary: A story worth reading
Review: In this story, of a daring escape and journey, a mother bear's touching loyalty and dedication to her cubs is shared. The Sleeping Bear was originally an Ojibwe legend. It will now, through this book, be preserved as a timeless part of Michigan's culture and history for future generations. One's imagination is sparked by the poetic nature of the text and the bold, but soothing, colors of the illustrations. The story is simply stated with vivid, rich language. The brilliant colors and detailing of the illustrations serve the reader well in capturing both the sadness of the legend and the celebration of loyalty. This story will touch the hearts of readers and open their minds to the powerful and emotional heritage of legends in general. I discovered this book while on vacation and picked it up to share with my children. After visiting the Sleeping Bear National Park, the story truly became real and part of a wonderful summer memory.

Rating:
Summary: heartbreaking
Review: seriously. i read this book last night because i will be writing a review for a periodical. i am in my twenties and i cried for several hours.

the artwork is fantastic, and that alone gets three stars, but please be aware that you should read this book first to make sure that your children can handle it. a mother bear and her babies must swim for their lives in the middle of the night. the babies drown and the mother bear waits by the shore of the lake-- season after season until she eventually dies with a broken heart! sure sure, there's some after death spiritual reunion, but it wasn't enough to keep me from weeping terribly until well into the morning.

i couldn't even sleep with this book in my house, so i just put it outside and will try to sleep again... eventually.

Rating:
Summary: Fascinating Book !
Review: Sleeping Bear Press creates some pretty amazing picture books! Their signature picture book is The Legend Of The Sleeping Bear. Wow! What a superb book! The illustrations make this legend even more powerful. Gijsbert Van Frankenhuyzen's paintings are truly that - paintings. The book has the feel of an art museum...such high quality paintings of wildlife and bears and landscapes.My second graders were captivated by this picture book...it was much sought after, after I read it aloud.Buy this book!

Rating:
Summary: A must for children and adults alike
Review: Text and illustrations combine to create a touching and heart-breaking story about that most timeless of relationships - a mother's dedication to her children. "The Legend of Sleeping Bear" should be included in every family's literature collection, for it teaches us about loyalty and commitment, life and death. I would urge caution, however, with younger readers. While beautiful and poignant, "The Legend of Sleeping Bear" may confuse or scare toddlers/pre-schoolers. This book should be used to initiate thoughtful discussions with older children.

Rating:
Summary: A must for children and adults alike
Review: Text and illustrations combine to create a touching and heart-breaking story about that most timeless of relationships - a mother's dedication to her children. "The Legend of Sleeping Bear" should be included in every family's literature collection, for it teaches us about loyalty and commitment, life and death. I would urge caution, however, with younger readers. While beautiful and poignant, "The Legend of Sleeping Bear" may confuse or scare toddlers/pre-schoolers. This book should be used to initiate thoughtful discussions with older children.

Rating:
Summary: beautiful, but too sad and intense for some
Review: there is no doubt, this is a beautiful, heartbreaking story, but please read it before you give it to anyone, child or adult...despite what the author said in her interview, it is NOT a "happy" story, it IS too intense and sad for some children (and their parents sometimes, too...) but if you read it with them, and are prepared to talk about it (and cry) with your kids, I think it is right up there with the best of all children's stories, which sometimes deal with death