MICHAEL ROSEN / IL. HELEN OXEMBURY
It’s hard to believe that there was once a time when families everywhere didn’t tug on their wellies, don their bobble hats, scarves and coats and strike out intrepidly across the countryside on their very own bear hunts encountering (of course) plenty of long swishy-swashy grass, splish splosh rivers and thick oozy mud – squelch squelch!
Michael Rosen’s timeless classic, lovingly illustrated by Helen Oxenbury is, in fact, nearing its thirtieth anniversary having first appeared in print in 1989 since when it has become an essential feature on any child’s first bookcase.