It's About Time, Jesse Bear

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Nancy White Carlstrom

School teacher, children's bookstore owner, library aide, poet, parent -- Carlstrom knew she wanted to write children's books even in high school and her work with children in various ways around the world from the Yucatan to Seattle gave her a rich understanding of what children like.  She's written over 50 books, earning awards such as the Editor's Choice from Booklist, Children's Choice from both the International Reading Association and the Children's Book Council as well as a Notable Book designation from the National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE).

Carlstrom expressed her love of children and language in NCTE's Books That Invite Talk, Wonder, and Play with "Language is a musical experience for me. Rhythm, rhyme, and cadence all become an important part of the process. I love the way a young child, just learning the language, rolls a word around on her tongue and, if she likes the sound of it, may chant it over and over."

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World Context

Teaching children about time is a challenge since our analog clock is not intuitive. But there is so much more to time -- seasons, activities, weather, holidays! The routines we use for feeding, diapering, and sleeping are our babies' introduction to time. Understanding that toddlers need plenty of transition time from one activity to the next, as well as naming those activities as time (i.e. snack time, story time, play time) helps them to learn the concepts of before and after. Connecting time to events with visuals such as a calendar and a clock and using time vocabulary -- soon, later, early, now, tomorrow, etc. -- are precursors to a child's ability to tell time.

"It's about time, my Jesse Bear!

And then I'll kiss you just once more
I'll listen for "Don't close the door."
I will not be at all surprised
When you open up your eyes.
I'll know you're not asleep for sure
When I hear you say "One more."

One more story
One more rhyme
One more kiss
And now, it's time!"

"Good-night."

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Bruce Degen

Degen is the illustrator and author of one of my top five children's rhyming books: Jamberry! In addition to illustrating Carlstrom's Jesse Bear books, Degen is known best as the illustrator of  Joanna Cole's The Magic School Bus series as well as Jane Yolen's Commander Toad series.

In addition to illustrating children's books, Degen has taught art in the New York City schools, painted scenery for the opera, and directed an artists' lithography studio in Israel. Degan is also a painter and print maker.

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Synopsis

Jesse Bear's days are timed in action and activities. From early morning to bed-time, Jesse's exploits with the cereal box to teaching his fish to dance or refusing his medicine are explored in rhymes.

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Learning Connections

Time is a difficult concept for young children, but rhythm is another matter. Combining catchy, memorable rhymes with the routines of a child's day is a pleasurable way to develop an understanding of time.

• How to Successfully Teach Kids the Value of Time, article at Calendar.com
• Clock Playdough, This Reading Mama
• Telling Time Activity, What We Do All Day
• Sidewalk Chalk Clock, Coffee Cups and Crayons
• Create a Time Book About My Day, Education.com
• Avoid Mistakes When Teaching Time, Ainslee Labs
  

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Ages: 2-5, preschool to primary grades; 32 pages. Poetry about time in a child's day.