Benjamin the Little Brown Bear Who Loved to Spell
Author
Paula M. Ezop
Author Bio
Paula M. Ezop is a spirituality commentary columnist. Her inspirational columns Following the Spiritual Soul have appeared in Oconee Today, a South Carolina Scripps Howard publication. They are currently in: Celebrating the Success of the Modern Woman, Esteem Yourself, and Open to Hope. She has contributed to such popular books as Chicken Soup for the Caregivers Soul and she has written the foreword to Whispers of Inspiration, a collection of both poetry and prose gathered from voices around the world.
Paula also co-authored a book in the Mommies Line, Spirituality for Mommies, and she has written Sparkly Bits of Spiritual Wisdom, which is a collection of her inspirational columns, and Sparkly Bits of Spiritual Wisdom for Women. However, closest to her heart is A Widow’s Journey – Healing a Broken Heart.
Wiggles Press has published her children’s chapter books, The Adventures of Penelope Star and the Mystery of the Three Dragons, and Lee McKenzie’s Summer to Remember – both are the first in a series. She has also published, Benjamin the Little Brown Bear Who Loved to Spell.
Paula holds the Bachelor of Arts, majoring in Elementary Education from Northeastern Illinois University. Her heartfelt and meaningful writing began as a means to overcome the loss of her husband. Paula has now written hundreds of articles and several books centering on life and faith. Her sustaining philosophy is that “we are more than the woman we see in our mirror.”
Description
Hi, I’m Bobear. Benjamin and I are best friends. Let me tell you about him. You see, Benjamin is no ordinary bear. No, Benjamin is a little brown bear who loves to spell. Yes, that’s right, he simply loves to spell. That makes Benjamin a very special little brown bear. Not only does he love to spell, but he loves rhyming words. You know words like, bread and head, love and dove, wish and dish – yes he loves rhyming words.
Benjamin has more paper, pens, and books than any bear I ever met. In fact to be quite honest, I don’t know any bear that has paper, pens, and books. Do you?
Can you keep a secret? You can – can you… Well, this is something no one knows about Benjamin. Benjamin’s mother doesn’t even know, it’s not even in the story book about Benjamin and me. So, I hope that you can keep a secret. I mean you really have to keep the secret that I’m about to tell you… Are you ready? Well, Benjamin even spells in his sleep. I know some bears sleep walk, but Benjamin spells in his sleep. I couldn’t believe it, the first time Benjamin and I went camping together he woke me up spelling. I didn’t get any sleep that night. All Benjamin did was spell, spell, and spell. So I guess Benjamin really is the little brown bear who loves to spell!
Now remember it’s our little secret. I hope you will read about my friend Benjamin, he really is special, after all he is a little brown bear who loves to spell!
Sincerely,
Bobear Benjamin’s very best friend
Book excerpt
Once upon a time there was a little brown bear who loved to spell. His name was Benjamin, and this is his story…
Mother Bear was out in the garden tending to her flowers. She watched as butterflies danced lazily over her pretty white daisies. As she reached for her bright red sprinkling can, Mother Bear thought she heard little brown bear’s voice coming from the cottage. “But my little brown bear is supposed to be out picking blackberries,” she thought. “Why is he still in the cottage?”
“A, B, C, D, E, F, G,” sang the little brown bear. “So many letters for you and me!”
“Oh that bear!” mumbled Mother Bear angrily to herself. “How can I bake blackberry muffins without blackberries?” Shaking her head, Mother Bear put down her sprinkling can and walked back to the cottage.
“All Benjamin ever thinks about are letters, oh Benjamin, Benjamin, Benjamin! What am I going to do with you?” Benjamin is always thinking about letters – A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, I, J, K, L, M, N, O, P, Q, R, S, T, U, V, W, X, Y, and Z!
Mother Bear slipped quietly up the stairs of the little cottage and into Benjamin’s room. She frowned. There he was, seated on the bed, and surrounded by his books, his pens, and his paper.
“A’s are great! B’s are better! Gee, I love just every letter!” sang the little brown bear.
“Benjamin! You promised to go and pick blackberries for me today!” Mother Bear glared at her son. Startled, Benjamin scrambled to his feet.
“I’m sorry, Mother, I forgot. I’ll go right now, really I will. I promise!”
“What am I to do with you Benjamin?” Mother Bear sighed and went back to her garden. “My little brown bear means well. If only he could think of something other than letters…”
Upstairs, Benjamin was busy getting dressed. First, he put on his baggy tan corduroy pants, and then his navy blue sweater that Mother Bear had given him. Sitting down, he pulled on his favorite hiking boots. “There. Wait, something’s missing.” Benjamin looked around the room carefully, until he found it – his floppy fedora, a gift from Grandma and Grandpa Bear. This was his best and most favorite hat. Plunking it on his head, he ran down the stairs, out the door, and through the garden, ready to pick blackberries for Mother Bear.
“Wait, Benjamin! Aren’t you forgetting something?” shouted Mother Bear. The little brown bear stopped for a moment, and scratched his head.
“No, I don’t think so.”
Mother Bear raised her eyebrows, “Are you sure?” and she handed him a shiny silver pail.
“Thanks Mother.” Grabbing the pail, he skipped off towards the forest. Mother Bear shook her head.
“I really don’t know what I’m going to do with that bear; all he ever thinks of are letters.”
Mother Bear was right. Why, Benjamin was not ten steps from the cottage and his mind was already on letters, not blackberries. Tramp, tramp, tramp went his boots on the ground, and “A, B, C, D, E, F, G,” sang Benjamin. “So many letters for you and me! H, I, J, K, L, M, N, O, P! Q, R, S, T, U, V, W, X, Y, and Z! Oh my, my, my, oh well, well, well! I’m just a little brown bear who loves to spell!”
Benjamin just loves to spell!
Author Website
http://www.followingthespiritualsoul.com
