Author: Evelyn Scott
Illustrated by Virginia Parsons
ISBN 0-375-83279-3
Publisher: RANDOM HOUSE/KIDS

The following review was contributed by: Lily Azerad-Goldman &CLICK TO VIEW Lily Azerad-Goldman's Reviews
The Fourteen Bears in Summer and Winter is just as fresh as its original versions published in 1969 and 1973.
It is divided into two parts, summer and winter. The summer theme is chock full of fun activities. We see all the fourteen bears enjoying the togetherness of their average family.
They live in hollow trees. Mama bear does not have too many responsibilities. Papa only plays with the children. He does not seem to have a job. All the bears are healthy and well behaved. Not a worry in the world will disturb their idyllic summer.
In Winter, at the first snow, they hurry inside their hollow trees and fall asleep until Christmas. They wake up and go frolicking on a beautiful winter day. A snowman greets them within a beautiful house with a Christmas tree. They enjoy all the fun activities of winter and then hibernate until springtime.
The children and parents will love these bears in la-la-land where everything is perfect, the weather, the hollow tree-houses, the scenery and especially the different flavored ice-cream and hot chocolate!
The whimsical illustrations blend the pictures with the words perfectly. Virginia Parsons is a keen observer of children’s activities. They are all rendered in cartoon style with lively primary colors.
The old generation will have a ball retelling these two lovely tales to their children.