Advantages: I found these jokes funny.
Disadvantages: I feel cold now!

...I have a friend out in Tenerife who is a diver who now has a passion for Polar Bear jokes. I introduced him to this joke craze whilst out in Tenerife in December 2002. I thought I would share a few with you now and hopefully put a smile on your face How do you catch a polar bear? Everyone knows how much polar bear like peas. Go to the Arctic Circle and cut a large hole in the ice. Place a ring of fresh peas around the hole and then hide. A polar bear will soon come looking for a snack, and when he bends over to take a pea, run up and kick him in the ice hole. Why is polar bear cheap to have as a pet? It lives on ice! Why do bears have fur coats? Because they'd look stupid in anoraks! What is white, furry and shaped like a tooth? A molar bear. What is a polar bear's favourite breakfast? Ice crispies! What's white and travels... Read review

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Advantages: Lovely simple picture book
Disadvantages: None

...You and me little bear Anyone who has "met" Big Bear and Little Bear before will thoroughly enjoy this the third story about the two bears. If you haven't read the previous two books, not to worry- this is a stand alone story and not dependent on previous knowledge of the bears. ~~Story and Illustrations~~ The story focuses (not surprisingly) on a big bear and a small bear. We meet our two main characters on the first double page spread when little Bear wants to play but big Bear can't join in because he has things to do. There we see Big Bear with his brush in his hand about to tidy the bear cave, while Little Bear drags at the basket and looks hopeful. Little Bear offers to help get the firewood, and the double page spread shows Little Bear carefully carrying his small pile of wood. They get the water together, and while Little... Read review

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Advantages: To Save A Life
Disadvantages: A Real Eye Opener

...Is your vet trying to get money out of you? Mine is, but I don't mind. It's all to do with a Moon Bear. A Moon Bear? I had never heard of one of these, so I went on the net to see what I could find out about them. MOON BEAR It seems this bear is known by several names which include Himalayan bear, Asiatic black bear, The Tibetan bear. They stand approx 5 foot tall, has a glossy black coat sometimes brownish, and a vivid white/yellowish mark on it's chest shaped like a Crescent moon --- Thus it's name, Moon Bear. It is generally a nocturnal animal that sleeps most of the day in trees and caves. It's territory is a range of up to 8 square miles because of the availability of food. It will eat anything edible, meat, fish, plant life anything it can find. Little else is known of it's life in the wild but it is thought that it has a 25... Read review

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Advantages: Easy to use, ready in 2 mins, no leakage, cute and cuddly
Disadvantages: None

...The Beddy Bear is a new safe way to warm up our bed rather than using a traditional hot water bottle. Beddy Bears are about 12 inches long, shaped like a stuffed teddy bear and are of a velour kind of feel- soft byt not fluffy. Very similar to the popular beanie babies. Inside the stomach arms and legs of the bear it is stuffed with wheat germ which is what heats up. The head of the bear is not stuffed with this. To use this s a hot water bottle you simply put the whole bear in the microwave for 2 minutes. Aftre doing so the bear is heated to the perfect temperature and lets of a lavender smell. The temperature lasts for a good couple of hours. I have found the beddy bear to be much better than using a traditional hot water bottle. There are is no more fiddling about with hot water and kettles and no more fears of hot water... Read review

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Advantages: Great day out, great for children (teens and adults)
Disadvantages: could prove addictive

...I can not emphasis just how much fun the Bear Factory Workshop is. Also known as 'build a bear factory', if you haven't heard of the stores before, you make your own teddy bears. Taking about 20 minutes, it is very fun. I went and made a bear with my girlfriend on valentines day. Was perfect. The bear factory are a nationwide company, so there should be a store near by. When you walk into the store, first impressions are that its a very small clothes shop! When you go to the bear factory, you go around the shop doing all the activities, so i'll commentate on each one. STAGE ONE: PICK A BEAR The first bit of the bear factory is where you pick a bear to have. Theres a large range of bears, from tradional bears (like ours) to ducks and other animals. Prices range from about £12 onwards, and are very reasonable. The bears are presented... Read review

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Advantages: excellent service, great range of cuddly toys, acessories and clothes
Disadvantages: quite expensive, can end up spending quite alot of money

...The bear factory in the central town of Cardiff is a great delight to visit. The presentation of the shop is VERY child-friendly, and with fascination many customers visit the store for a once in a life time experience to create their own bear to their likings. The staff at the shop are unbelieveably kind and offer you a step by step guidance whilst making your bear. Firstly, you choose a cuddly toy of your choice, and all prices are clearly listed around their place. You can choose from a range of different bears to giraffes and elephants to tigers. Next, you get your bear stuffed y one of the staff according to how you want it. You can ask for a small amount o stuffing for a cuddly bear or a large amount of stuffing for a firmer bear. Then, you can have a choice as to whether you want to place a voicebox inside your bear. You can... Read review

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Advantages: lovely to share at bedtime
Disadvantages: don't think it necessarily dispels night time fears of the dark

...This story is in the Walker Book range and as many of their books do, features bears. Little Bear can't sleep so Big Bear brings him a lantern to brighten his room. He still can't sleep, so Big Bear brings him the biggest and the brightest lantern he can find. Still he can't sleep because of the shadows it throws out. Big Bear scoops Little Bear into his arms and takes him outside to show him the biggest light of all - the moon. This reassures Little Bear and he falls fast asleep in Big Bears arms. The illustrations in this book are lovely. The text is a nice size so it is nice for children who can read a bit for themselves, or is lovely to share at bedtime. This book is supposed to allay night time fears of the dark, but I don't think it does it very successfully, but is a lovely cuddly story. Various bookclubs sell this book... Read review

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Advantages: lovely story and pictures for young children
Disadvantages: none

...This is another lovely picture book written by Martin Waddell and illustrated by Sarah Fox-Davies. It tells the story of a snowy day when mummy Bear and her three baby bears go outside to play. The baby bears are soon so covered with snow that their Mummy says that she has lost her babies and the bears go along with the joke, pretending that they are Snow Bears instead. The bears then proceed to have a fantastic day playing lots of games in the snow, although Mummy Bear always says that it is such a shame that her babies are not there because they would love doing all the things they are doing! She keeps wondering where her baby bears could have got to, to which there is always the same response: "I don't know where we are," said the biggest snow bear. "I haven't seen us," said the moddle-sized snow bear. "We aren't here, Mummy Bear... Read review

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Advantages: A sweet childrens book.
Disadvantages: None.

...Snow bears is a lovely children's book, which tells us all about playing pretend with mum. I got this book in a pack from one of the book clubs run at my youngest daughters nursery. There were 6 books in the pack, and they are all published by Walker books. As some of you may remember from my other reviews, I have a thing for Walker books. In my experience, they are all wonderful stories with excellent illustrations, and Snow Babies is no exception. Snow Babies is written by Martin Waddell, who has produced other gems such as Owl Babies, Let's Go Home Little Bear, and Can't You Sleep Little Bear. All of which I have read to my girls in the past, and which they have enjoyed immensely. The book is illustrated by Sarah Fox-Davies, who's work I am unfamiliar with, but the illustrations in this book are more than adequate. The Story... Read review

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Advantages: your own individual bear created before your very eyes
Disadvantages: can be pricey

...The Bear Factory is a great idea for a store but also a bit of a rip off at the same time. Saying that, i still am a proud owner of one of their bears!!! I do believe that if you are going to own a teddy bear, be it just one, then you should get a bear factory bear as they are the best. Upon entering the store you are greeted by loads of different stalls, each containing a teddy bear without its stuffing. There is quite a good selection to choose from ranging from dogs, monkeys, bears ect The prices of selecting your bears "skin", as it is refered to, ranges from £8.99 for a tiny one, up to £15.99. I chose a "skin" which was £12.99. After this selection you take it to the workshop at the back of the store to get made. The worker gives you three choices on how you want the bear to be stuffed ( soft, medium and hard). I chose... Read review

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