Brown Bear Turns 50

Published in 1967, Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See? had an immediate appeal to children and adults alike. Bill Martin Jr’s rhythmic call-and-response text builds anticipation at each turn of the page, while Eric Carle’s bold graphics and parade of animals encourage learning and imagination. Brown Bear has been translated into more than 30 languages—from Arabic to Vietnamese—and has sold 16 million copies. In addition to the original 1967 book, Carle re-illustrated editions in 1970, 1984, and 1992. 

Artwork from every page of the famous book is on display, as well as a selection of Carle’s collages from additional collaborations with Martin. One of only two surviving collages from the 1967 edition—Brown Bear himself—was faithfully restored and on view for the first time. 

This exhibition was made possible through the generous support of the Hsin-Yi Foundation, with additional support from Macmillan Children’s Publishing Group.