Listening is a skill that can be difficult for many people. This book, the eleventh in a series about behaviors young children may find challenging, playfully explains the importance of listening to others. Two friends, a goat and a bear, are on a hike. The bear is all geared up for their outing; the goat has come without even a bottle of water. The bear shares directions with the goat, but he refuses to listen and ends up in a winding stream! Again and again, goat refuses to listen to bear; each time, the patient bear gets his friend out of the latest jam. Finally, bear has had enough and refuses to go on. The goat apologizes sincerely, and the two hike on to see a panoramic view. Readers learn alongside the goat that when we don’t listen to our friends, we may make them angry and cause additional problems. Children will love the expressions of frustration and surprise on the characters’ faces. Speech bubbles allow young readers to understand who is speaking. At the end of the book are helpful hints for parents on how to best communicate with toddlers. The important lesson taught in this book makes it an excellent choice for a read-aloud at home or in an early childhood classroom. Other books in the series address taking turns and saying please and thank you.
—Children’s Literature
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