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About the Book   The Biggest Bear

This Caldecott Award-winning book for beginning readers is a simple story that offers many lessons for youngsters and provides opportunities for discussing many different topics such as hunting, pet ownership, cause and effect of actions, the North Woods, orchard farming, and much more! 

The Biggest Bear follows the adventures of a young boy named Johnny Orchard, who lives on a farm in the North Woods. He is humiliated because all the other neighbors have bear skins on their barns, but his family does not. Johnny is determined to get a bear, so one day he sets out on his quest, armed with his rifle.

Eventually he stumbles upon a small, orphaned bear cub. Rather than hunting the cub, Johnny decides to take it home and care for it. The bear quickly grows into the biggest bear anyone in the village has ever seen.

However, the bear's size and appetite soon become problematic. The bear begins causing trouble by raiding the neighbors' cornfields and maple syrup stores. Despite Johnny's efforts to control him, the bear's mischief escalates, prompting the other villagers to talk with Johnny's father.

Johnny's father tells him he has to get rid of the bear. Heartbroken, Johnny takes the bear into the woods, intending to leave him there, but the bear comes back to the Orchards' farm every time Johnny tries to leave him. Eventually, Johnny's bear ends up in a zoo--a satisfactory conclusion for everyone!

Themes in the book The Biggest Bear

Compassion and Friendship: One of the most prominent themes in The Biggest Bear is the bond of friendship between Johnny and the bear. Rather than shooting the bear, Johnny has compassion for the animal, takes care of the orphaned cub, and they become friends. The bond between them is so strong that the bear refuses to leave and always makes its way back to Johnny.

Cause and Effect: Johnny doesn't think about what will happen when the bear grows up; he is only concerned with taking care of the orphaned bear cub. He doesn't think about how he will feed the grown bear or the hazards the bear might present to the community--or that the bear may someday need to go back to the wild.

Fate or Luck and Irony: As luck would have it, being stuck in the bear trap ended up saving the bear's life. Johnny and the bear were lucky that the trap was set by people wanting to get a bear for the zoo.

Activity Ideas      for the book The Biggest Bear

Creative Writing: Ask students to write a diary entry from Johnny's perspective on the day he found the bear. This activity encourages them to delve deeper into Johnny's emotions and thoughts, enhancing their understanding of his character.

Story Swap: Have students each write a story about an adventure they have had with a pet or would like to have with an animal--and draw a picture to illustrate something in the story. Pair students up to share their stories with each other. Swap pairs several times so each student shares with several classmates.

Discussion on Themes: Initiate a class discussion on the themes in the story. Use guided questions to help students connect these themes to their own experiences and the broader world.

Research Project: Share your screen and do an Internet search about the North Woods, showing students pictures and discussing the wildlife found there, etc.

Ethics Discussion: Discuss the ethical dilemmas presented in the book, such as Johnny's decision to keep the bear and the villagers' insistence on getting rid of him. This activity fosters critical thinking and allows students to explore different perspectives.

Pet Care: Have students in groups brainstorm a list of rules for pet care then discuss the rules they define.