Top Bear
This lighthearted, humorous story is set during the time of the March–April 2020 COVID-19 lockdown. It describes the antics of two bears who appear to be competing to become the most popular bear in Lockdown Street.
About this resource
Series: Junior Journal 62 Level 2 2021
Colour wheel level: Gold
Reading year level: 3
Topics: bear, bubble, communication, community, competition, COVID-19, humour, language, lockdown, media, mystery, news, pun, reporter, rivalry, social media, TV, word play
Top Bear
Words by Bill Nagelkerke
Illustrations by Scott Pearson
The story is told in the form of a television news report and includes social media posts and many entertaining word plays. It ends with a series of questions that invite readers to speculate about what might be behind the bears’ antics.
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More from this series
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Junior Journal 62 Level 2 2021
Inside this Junior Journal there is one story (Top Bear), two articles (Getting the Message Across; A School Comes Home), one activity (Making a Sign), and one play (Now We’re Talking).
1 of 5Getting the Message Across
In this interview, Iona McNaughton talks to Alan Wendt, a New Zealand Sign Language interpreter.
2 of 5Making a Sign
A sign is a good way to get a message across. Signs can show people where things are or give them instructions.
3 of 5A School Comes Home
This recount describes a campaign by Redcliffs School and its local community to save their school after it was closed because of damage from the 2011 Christchurch earthquakes.
4 of 5Now We're Talking
In this humorous science-fiction play, a computer virus causes problems at an interplanetary planning meeting for the Space Games.
5 of 5
