Brown Bear Brown Bear What Do You See?

Brown Bear Brown Bear What Do You See Summary
Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See? is a beloved classic in children’s literature.
The book follows an unseen narrator who asks different animals what they see, and the animals respond by observing another animal or person. The animals are described by their colors, with the text appearing in a rhythmic, repetitive pattern that is perfect for young children to follow.
The book’s exuberantly colored artwork and favorite animals make it an ideal introduction to learning about colors. The collage illustrations, created using Eric Carle’s signature hand-painted and layered technique, give the animals a textured appearance that stands out against the page’s white background.
The board book version of the book is perfect for tiny hands, and printable resources are available, including felt board characters and a matching game, to enhance the reading experience. This book is a great addition to any read-aloud on colors and pairs well with other classics by Bill Martin Jr. and Eric Carle, including Panda Bear, Panda Bear, What Do You See?, Polar Bear, Polar Bear, What Do You Hear?, and Baby Bear, Baby Bear, What Do You See?.
Positive Lessons For Children

The story’s moral in “Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See?” is not directly stated in the text, but the book encourages children to learn about and observe the world around them. The book introduces different animals and their colors in a rhythmic, repetitive pattern that is easy for young children to follow and encourages them to pay attention to the details in their surroundings.
Parents, kids, and teachers can learn several things from this book:
- The importance of introducing young children to the world around them and helping them to develop their observation skills.
- The value of using repetition and rhythm in children’s literature is to engage young readers and help them to remember new concepts.
- The fun of learning about different animals and their colors.
- The joy of reading aloud to children and sharing literature with them.
- The concept of “echoing sentences,” or repeating sentence structures, which can help to make the text more engaging and predictable for readers. This technique is used in the book to create a rhythmic, musical quality that helps to stimulate movement and engage young readers.
Brown Bear Brown Bear What Do You See Reading Level

- The “Brown Bear Brown Bear What Do You See” book is 32 pages long.
- It is suitable for children in kindergarten through second grade but is intended for preschool to kindergarten.
- Based on reviews, it is ideal for children ages 1 to 4
Parents overwhelmingly enjoy reading “Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See?” to their children. Many mention the repetition and rhythm of the text, as well as the bright and colorful illustrations, as factors that make the book enjoyable for both children and adults.
Many also note that the book is helpful for teaching young children new words and concepts, such as colors and animals.
Some parents also mention that the book is a good choice for children just starting to learn to read, as the repetitive structure and simple text can help build confidence and improve reading skills.
Brown Bear Brown Bear What Do You See Characters

One common theme among the characters in “Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See?” is that they are all animals or objects of a particular color. Each character is introduced by the narrator asking, “What do you see?” and the character responds by saying the color and type of animal or object they are. This repetition helps children learn to associate colors with specific objects and animals.
Additionally, the characters in the book are all depicted in bright and colorful illustrations, which can be visually appealing to young children and help them learn to identify and name different colors.
The book may also be helpful in teaching children basic concepts of language, such as using adjectives to describe objects and using proper nouns to name specific animals or people.
Overall, the characters in “Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See?” are a useful tool for introducing young children to the concepts of colors, language, and basic vocabulary.
- Brown Bear: a bear that is brown in color
- Red Bird: a bird that is red in color
- Yellow Duck: a duck that is yellow in color
- Blue Horse: a horse that is blue in color
- Green Frog: a frog that is green in color
- Purple Cat: a cat that is purple in color
- White Dog: a dog that is white in color
- Black Sheep: a sheep that is black in color
- Goldfish: a fish that is gold in color
- School Teacher: a human character that is a school teacher
- Children: human characters that are children
About Children’s Book Author Bill Martin Jr
Bill Martin Jr was an American educator, publishing executive, and author of children’s books. He is most famously known for his collaboration with illustrator Eric Carle on the book Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See?
Bill Martin Jr’s Education
Bill Martin Jr received a bachelor’s degree in education from Kansas State Teachers College (now known as Emporia State University) in 1941 and a master’s degree from the University of Chicago in 1952. He also received an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters from Emporia State University in 1993.
Bill Martin Jr’s Career
Bill Martin Jr began his career as a teacher and later became a school administrator, eventually working as an educational consultant and author. He wrote over 300 children’s books during his career, many of which were bestsellers and have been translated into multiple languages. In addition to his work as an author, Martin also served as the chairman of the National Children’s Book and Literacy Alliance and was a member of the board of directors of the National Center for Children’s Illustrated Literature.
Bill Martin Jr’s Personal Life and Legacy
Bill Martin Jr was born in 1916 in Kansas and lived there for much of his life. He was married and had two children. He passed away in 2004 at the age of 88. In his honor, the state of Kansas established the Bill Martin Jr. Award in 1996, which is given annually to the best children’s picture book published in the state. Martin’s books, including Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See?, have been widely praised by parents, teachers, and critics and have received numerous awards and accolades.
Credit Sources: Kiddle Encyclopedia & Wikipedia
Author Bill Martin’s Website
https://www.billmartinjr.com/
Bill Martin’s MacMillan Publishers BIO page:
https://us.macmillan.com/author/billmartin
Bill Martin Jr. Books

Bill Martin Jr. is the author of over 300 children’s books. Some of Bill’s most well-known books include.
- The Sounds of Mystery: This book is about the different sounds that animals make.
- Chicka Chicka Boom Boom (co-authored with John Archambault): This book is about the letters of the alphabet and their sounds.
- Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See?: This book is about different animals and their colors, and the rhythmic, repetitive pattern of the text encourages children to observe and learn about their surroundings.
- Baby Bear, Baby Bear, What Do You See?: This book has a similar theme to Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See? but features different animals and actions, such as a baby bear slipping and gliding.
- Panda Bear, Panda Bear, What Do You See?: This book has a similar theme to Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See? but features different animals and actions, such as a panda bear bouncing and climbing.
- Polar Bear, Polar Bear, What Do You Hear?: This book has a similar theme to Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See? but features different animals and their sounds, such as a polar bear hearing a walrus.
All of these Bill Martin books were in collaboration with illustrator Eric Carle.
All of these books have a common theme that features a rhythmic, repetitive pattern in the text and is intended for young children. They are designed to help children learn about their surroundings and the world around them, and the text is meant to be engaging and easy for young children to follow. Many of these books also introduce children to different animals and their characteristics, such as their colors or sounds. Additionally, these books often use creative and innovative illustrations to help bring the stories to life and engage young readers.
Illustrator Eric Carle
Eric Carle is a renowned and beloved children’s author and illustrator known for his brightly illustrated, innovative picture books.
Born in 1929 in Syracuse, New York, Carle moved to Germany with his parents at six and graduated from the Akademie der bildenden Künste art school in Stuttgart. In 1952, he returned to the United States to work as a graphic designer for The New York Times and later as an art director for an advertising agency.
In 1969, Carle wrote and illustrated his first wholly original book, 1,2,3 to the Zoo, followed by the highly acclaimed classic, The Very Hungry Caterpillar, which has been translated into more than 62 languages and sold over 41 million copies worldwide. Carle has illustrated over 70 books, many of which he also wrote, with over 152 million copies sold around the world.
His artwork is created through a collage technique using hand-painted papers, which he cuts and layers to form bright and cheerful images. Many of his books also have added interactive elements such as die-cut pages, twinkling lights, and even sound effects. Carle resides in both the Florida Keys and North Carolina.
For more information about Eric Carle, please visit his website at https://eric-carle.com/.
More Places online to learn about author and illustrator Eric Carle.
Illustrator Eric Carle Amazon page
https://www.amazon.com/stores/Eric-Carle/author/B00DVY7LO0
The Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art:
http://www.carlemuseum.org
Eric Carle YouTube Channel:
https://www.youtube.com/c/WorldofEricCarle
Eric Carle’s Facebook Page:
https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100044612311474
Eric Carle Instagram Page:
https://www.instagram.com/officialericcarle/
Where To Buy The Brown Bear Brown Bear What Do You See Book
The book has sold over 7 million copies and is considered one of the most beloved children’s books of all time. The Bill Martin Jr. Award, the Kansas state award for the best children’s picture book, was established in honor of the author in 1996.
The book is available on Amazon for Kindle, audiobook, hardcover, and paperback. This link below leads to the paperback edition, but all options are available on the landing page.
Amaon.com (Paperback) | Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See?. by Bill Martin, JR. Paperback – October 25, 2007 |
Authors Amazon BIO Page | Purchase More Bill Martin Jr Books on Amazon |
Book Details

ASIN: 0141501596
Publisher: PENGUIN; Anniversary Ed edition (October 25, 2007)
Language: English
Paperback: 32 pages
ISBN-10: 9780141501598
ISBN-13: 978-0141501598
Reading age: 1 – 3 years, from customers
Item Weight: 5.8 ounces
Dimensions: 6.85 x 0.16 x 9.76 inches
Brown Bear Brown Bear What Do You See Reviews
At the time of this writing, there were over 48,000 customer reviews on Amazon with a star rating of 4.9 out of 5, with 93% of reviewers giving the book a 5-star rating. Below are a few of the top reviews of the book.
Lights up my son’s face
– By Anna K Ly
Reviewed in the United States on December 15, 2022
Got for: 1 year old
I got this book for my son when he was 1 year old, and he fell in love with this book. His eyes were not the best as well (we’ve gotten glasses for him since) so the big bright colored pictures of animals got his attention as well as the repetitiveness and beat of the language. He immediately knows what we are talking about when we mention this book and he is able to follow along with his finger and point to each animal when we ask about them. It’s a great book for learning words and animals and it gets stuck in your head to the point where you can read it from memory and talk about it when you don’t have the book! (not sure if you want that :P). Classic for any young toddler/child.
Perfect for newborns
– By T Singh
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on November 13, 2014
The rhythm of this book makes it a pleasure to read to my son.
I’ve read this book over and over. The upbeat rhythm prevents it from ever getting monotonous – even after 6 months.
I can even recite this book to my son without looking at the book. Just keep to the rhythm and make up the animals… I see a purple duck, yellow zebra and so on.
I highly recommend this book for parents of newborns. Your child will eventually recognise this book from the way it’s read.
Great Book!
– By Teresa H.
Reviewed in the United States on January 2, 2023
Got for: 2 years old
Another book I purchased for my first grandchild. A big hit! The repetitive “sing-song style of this book combined with the beauty of the illustrations is a perfect combo! We read this book daily until she had memorized it and them she “read” it to me!
Too Much Glue Read Aloud
Below are three excellent videos of “Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See?” read aloud, each with something unique.
This 3:04 long video is a fantastic animated read-aloud version of the Brown Bear book narrated by a young girl.
If you and your child want to sing along, this 2:41 video is for you. The video goes through the book while singing the words with a guitar as the musical instrument. It’s a very catchy tune.
This is a classic reading of the Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See book read aloud by a female narrator with subtle background music.