Watch out, Hare. It looks like Bear is sleeping there. Don’t Poke the Bear is a fun and easy to read book about the importance of keeping your hands to yourself and not touching. Despite Rabbit’s advice, Hare learns the hard way about unwanted touching and being a noodge while Bear is sleeping.

Don’t Poke the Bear is Book 1 of the Forest Friends series of children’s books, starring the trio of Bear, Hare and Rabbit. This early reader series explores themes related to understanding and controlling early emotions. These books also feature rhyming verses with early vocabulary words, combing helpful life lessons with phonics.

Author and illustrator Dominic Villari’s books feature well-developed stories with heart and humor that appeal to kids and parents alike. These timeless tales will grow with you and your children through pre-reading, beginning reading and novice reading.

Themes:

Keep your hands to yourself No hitting

Age Grade Range:

4 to 6 years Pre-K to First Grade

Other Books in this Series:

Bear is Hangry - Understanding Anger Rabbit is Rammy - Practicing Patience

Excerpt: Through the wood come Rabbit and Hare,

Going to visit their good friend Bear.

They look in the cave he calls his lair,

Just to see if Bear is there.

Hare jumps forward without much care,

He leaps right in the home of Bear.

The sound of snoring is heard by Hare,

It turns out Bear is sleeping there.

After slowly giving a sideways stare,

He decides to poke at Bear.

First it seems that Bear is not aware,

He turns to face away from Hare.

Rabbit warns his good friend Hare,

It’s not good to Poke at Bear.

Hare wants to play he doesn’t care,

He sticks his paw back in there.

About the Author: Dominic Villari is well versed in the art and science of making stuff up and is often caught talking to things, especially when they don’t work right or are difficult to put together. These pursuits occasionally spill out onto paper in illustrated children’s books such as Sun and Moon, Bear is Hangry and The Yelling Monsters and fiction books such as The Wandering Princess and Talks to Things. He lives in New Jersey with his wife and daughter, both of whom have gotten better about knowing when he’s making stuff up.