This is the story of a little boy and his teddy bear that he loved very much. One day he lost the bear and the bear was thrown away. A homeless man finds the bear and it makes him happy. The bear and the boy miss each other, but over time they start to enjoy life without one another. At the end the boy finds the bear, but does the right thing and decides to leave him with the homeless man. ( )

This story is about a teddy bear who is from a loving home where he gets to go on lots of adventures with the little boy who loves him. On one of these adventures, the teddy bear is accidentally forgotten and left behind in a strange place. Finally ending up in a dumpster, the teddy bear is found by a homeless man. The homeless man takes the teddy bear with him and grows to love him. Together, the teddy bear and his new owner go on many different adventures as the teddy bear learns that people in all walks of life are capable of love. ( )

This book is about a teddy bear whose is originally owned by a little boy who accidentally loses him. The teddy bear is then thrown in the trash and is then picked up by a homeless man who then takes him in as his own. The teddy bear originally misses his original owner but then learns to love the man. The little boy then finds the teddy bear on a park bench, and when he picks him up to leave, he sees the homeless man sad to see his bear gone, so he goes and give the man back the bear. ( )

The Teddy Bear tells the story of a young boy who owns a teddy bear. The young boy lives a comfortable life with a loving family. One day, they accidentally leave the teddy bear in a restaurant. After being thrown away, he is picked up by a homeless man. The boy misses his bear, but has many other things in his life that keep him busy. The bear misses the boy, but he provided company to the man. One day, the boy sees the bear when the man momentarily leaves him on a bench. The boy picks up the bear and his family hurries away when they see the man; but upon hearing the distraught man's cries, returns to give the bear back .

This story is a good example of contemporary realistic fiction. It contains elements that students can likely relate to such as owning stuffed animals or having a loving family and friends. However, it also addresses the issue of homelessness that fewer students may be aware of. It allows students to gain a new perspective without being too direct. Homelessness or poverty is not explicitly stated, but shown through the illustrations.

This story can definitely be used for critical literacy. Students may discuss the struggles homeless people face. They may question why the family walked away quickly when they saw the homeless man and what socially constructed attitudes might have driven them to act in such a way. This story and discussion about the content can lead students to recognize social injustice and encourage them to take action. Comparing and contrasting what they have in their own lives to what others people in their community may lack can provide deeper awareness.

GENRE: Contemporary Realistic Fiction

USES:
- have critical literacy discussion about homelessness--conditions, attitudes, etc.
- encourage action for social justice by having students do a toy drive to collect stuffed animals or other toys for a homeless shelter

The Teddy Bear begins with a boy who loves his teddy bear more than anything. He takes the bear with him everywhere and does everything with him. One day his loses the bear and becomes very sad. The bear is also sad as he misses his friend. The bear is then found by a homeless man and the homeless man begins to love him. As time goes on, the boy begins to enjoy the company of his other toys and the bear begins to enjoy the company of the homeless man. One day the boy runs into his bear at the park and picks him up, the homeless man begins to cry as he cannot find the bear. The boy gives the bear to the homeless man in the end. This book is a modern fantasy.