Story Time with Stuffies!
Read, Discuss, Do with THE BEST KIND OF BEAR, plus a list of other books featuring stuffed animals
You see them everywhere…
They’re in grocery stores, department stores, gas stations, and most of the rooms in your home—these creatures bring comfort, love, and consistency during every phase of life. In fact, kids carry them EVERYWHERE: their beds, school, cars, the bathroom…
What are they??
STUFFED ANIMALS!
They’re known throughout the USA and Canada as stuffies or plushies, while in the UK they are referred to as soft toys.
Whatever your name for them, they bring cherished childhood memories and often accompany kids on multiple adventures! But have you ever thought about what adventure your stuffed animal might go on without you or who your stuffie really is?
In The Best Kind of Bear by Greg Gormley, illustrated by David Barrow, a young girl asks her stuffed bear, “What kind of bear are you?” Unable to answer, her bear goes on a quest to find out. Grizzly bears don’t have stitching, Polar bears don’t have tags, and sun bears never wear bow ties! When her bear returns, he doesn’t have an answer until the girl tells him what kind of bear he is... The ending is both encouraging and comforting as it speaks to a place of belonging.
Note: Some links will take you to the Read, Discuss, Do bookshop.org storefront. Purchasing a book from the storefront will support independent bookstores and help maintain Read, Discuss, Do at no additional cost to you.
READ: The Best Kind of Bear by Greg Gormley, illustrated by David Barrow
Be sure to grab a Fluffy Friend—or all your Fluffy Friends—while you read!
DISCUSS:
Do you have any stuffies that make you curious about their species? If so, which ones?
If one of your stuffies were to go on an adventure, what kind of adventure would they take?
Do you recognize any of the types of bears mentioned in this book? Feel free to look up any bears you haven’t heard of before!
What do you like best about your stuffed animal(s)? How does your Fluffy Friend make you feel?
If you were the girl in this story, what would you have said to bear after his adventure?
DO: Try one of these “stuffie” activities.
CREATE A STUFFIE ADVENTURE!
Draw your stuffed animal in the middle of a piece of paper. Then draw places it might explore. If you have a bear, where would he or she go? What if you have a monkey? Or a shark?
FIND A NEW-TO-YOU STUFFIE
Sometimes, stuffies are outgrown, but still have life left in them. If you have a thrift store near you, look through the stuffed animal bin. Here are some directions to give your new fluffy friend a good bath:
To wash a stuffed animal, check its tag for instructions. Then, either machine wash on a gentle, cold cycle in a pillowcase (or mesh bag) with mild detergent, or hand wash gently in cold soapy water, always air drying (no heat in dryer) to prevent damage.
MAKE YOUR OWN STUFFED ANIMAL with a sock and mini rubber bands!
If you’re looking for a cute homemade Valentine animal or if you want to make your own fluffy friend, check out this tutorial from Jamie at Do It, Gurl on YouTube! Check out her cute little animal.
If you’re curious what Furry Friends are called in other countries, here’s a list of some stuffed animal names:
International Terminology
Germany: “Kuscheltiere” (cuddle animals), “Stofftiere” (fabric animals), or “Plüschtiere” (plush animals).
Japan: “Nuigurumi” (derived from “nui” for sewing and “gurumi” for wrapping/winding). Additionally, “Amigurumi” refers specifically to knitted or crocheted stuffed toys.
France: “Doudou” (often refers to a baby’s favorite comforting plush or blanket).
Sweden: “Gosedjur” (cuddle animals) or “mjukisdjur” (soft animals).
Netherlands: “Knuffels” (literally means “hugs”).
Spanish-speaking cultures: Often referred to as “peluches” or in some regions/contexts, “monos” or “monitos”.
China: “Máoróng wánjù” (毛绒玩具 - direct translation: plush toy).
More books about stuffies to look for:
Knuffle Bunny by Mo Willems
Corduroy by Don Freeman (and other Corduroy titles)
Don’t Wash Winston by Ashley Belote
Loved to Bits by Teresa Heapy, illustrated by Katie Cleminson
Tell Me About Your Day Today by Mem Fox, illustrated by Lauren Stringer
Middle Grade
The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane by Kate DiCamillo
Coming soon at Read, Discuss, Do!
Next month: Middle grade March! Throughout the month we will be sharing some of our favorite middle grade titles read-alouds and some poetry books (including novels in verse) that will appeal to middle grade readers. Subscribe to this newsletter and follow us on Instagram so you don’t miss out!
April: National Poetry Month! For our annual observance of poetry month we will be highlighting the work of four different children’s poets. As in past years we will include a Poetry Challenge especially aimed at young poets (though adults are always encouraged to join in the fun). We hope you will follow along! Here’s a round-up of last year’s Poetry Challenge:
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Love all this kid-friendly, bear-friendly information!