Parents: look for the leaf to learn important developmental milestones to look for in your child by age 2!

cdc.gov/ActEarly

WHERE IS BEAR?

A Terrific Tale for 2-Year-Olds

Written by Libby Martinez

Illustrated by Allison Valentine

WHERE IS BEAR?

A Terrific Tale for 2-Year-Olds

Written by Libby Martinez

Illustrated by Allison Valentine
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Bear and Tiger are 2 years old. 

They are friends.

This is 

Bear.

Parents: look for the leaf to learn important developmental 

 milestones to look for in your child by age 2!

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Bear and Tiger have a favorite game. 

It’s called, “Where is Bear?” 

Do you want to play?

Cover your eyes while Bear hides!

MILESTONE MOMENT

By age 2, most children 

follow simple instructions.

This is 

Tiger.
Where is Bear?

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Let’s ask Bird if she sees Bear.

Bird lives in a .

Knock two times on Bird’s tree.

Knock. Knock. “Bird! Bird!”

Knock.

Knock.

MILESTONE MOMENT

By age 2, most children 

name items in a picture 

book.
“Where is Bear? Is he in the tree?” asks Tiger.

“No,” says Bird. “But I will help you find him.”

“Great, Bird! I’ll fly like you!” says Tiger. 

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MILESTONE MOMENT

By age 2, most children copy others, especially

adults and other children. 

Let’s ask Frog if he sees Bear.

Frog lives in a pond.

Splash the water and call Frog. 

Splash. Splash. “Frog! Frog!”

Splash.

Splash.

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MILESTONE MOMENT

By age 2, most children follow 

two-step instructions.
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“Where is Bear? Is he in the pond?” asks Tiger.

“No,” says Frog. “But I will help you find him.”

“Bird, look how high Frog jumps!” says Tiger.

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MILESTONE MOMENT

By age 18 months, most children point

to show others something interesting. 

Let’s ask Fox if she sees Bear.

Fox lives in a cave. 

Fox likes to run. 

Can you run like Fox?

9

MILESTONE MOMENT

By age 2, most children begin to run. 

By age 2, most children begin to include others in chase games. 
“Where is Bear? Is he in the cave?” asks Tiger.

“No,” says Fox. “But I will help you find him.”

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Let’s ask Turtle if he sees Bear. 

Turtle likes to hide in the leaves. 

Let’s pretend we’re the wind 

and blow the leaves away.

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MILESTONE MOMENT

By age 2, most children play 

simple make-believe games.
“Where is Bear? Is he in the leaves?” asks Tiger.

“No,” says Turtle. “But I will help you find him.”

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Do YOU know where Bear is?

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“He’s where?” asks Tiger.

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MILESTONE MOMENT

By age 2, most children point 

to things in a book.

“Bear! Bear is up there!” says Tiger.

“We found him!” 15
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“Hooray!” his friends say. 

“Let’s play again!”

MILESTONE MOMENT

By age 2, most children get excited

16 when with other children. 

Language/Communication Milestones

 Points to things or pictures when they are named

 Knows names of familiar people and body parts

 Says sentences with 2 to 4 words

 Follows simple instructions

 Repeats words overheard in conversation

 Points to things in a book

DEVELOPMENTAL MILESTONES FOR TERRIFIC 2-YEAR-OLDS

Watch and see if your 2-year-old can do each of these milestones.

Take this book and talk with your child’s doctor at your next well-child visit.

Social/Emotional Milestones

 Copies others, especially adults and older children

 Gets excited when with other children

 Shows more and more independence

 Shows defiant behavior (doing what he has been told not to)

 Plays mainly beside other children, but is beginning to include

 other children, such as in chase games

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Movement/Physical Development Milestones

 Stands on tiptoe

 Kicks a ball

 Begins to run

 Climbs onto and down from furniture without help

 Walks up and down stairs holding on

 Throws ball overhand

 Makes or copies straight lines and circles

Cognitive Milestones

(Learning, Thinking, Problem-Solving)

 Finds things even when hidden under two or three covers

 Begins to sort shapes and colors

 Completes sentences and rhymes in familiar books

 Plays simple make-believe games

 Builds towers of 4 or more blocks

 Might use one hand more than the other

 Follows two-step instructions such as “Pick up your shoes 

and put them in the closet.”

 Names items in a picture book such as a cat, bird, or dog

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Terrific Tips to Help Your 2-Year-Old Learn and Grow

How you can help your 2-year-old learn and grow:

• Give your child attention and praise when he follows instructions. Limit attention for defiant behavior. 

Spend a lot more time praising good behaviors than punishing bad ones.

• Teach your child to identify and say body parts, animals, and other common things.

• Do not correct your child when he says words incorrectly. Rather, say it correctly. For example, 

“That is a ball.”

• Help your child do puzzles with shapes, colors, or farm animals. Name each piece when your 

child puts it in place.

• Ask your child to help you open doors and drawers and turn pages in a book or magazine.

• Kick a ball back and forth with your child. When your child is good at that, encourage him to 

run and kick.

Act early by talking to your child’s doctor if your child:

• Is missing milestones for his or her age

• Doesn’t use 2-word phrases (for example, “drink milk”)

• Doesn’t know what to do with common things, like a brush, phone, fork, spoon

• Doesn’t copy actions and words

• Doesn’t follow simple instructions

• Doesn’t walk steadily

• Loses skills she once had

Don’t wait. Acting early can make a real difference! Visit cdc.gov/Concerned for more information. 

For more milestone checklists, tips, children’s books for other ages and more, visit 

cdc.gov/AmazingBooks or call 1-800-CDC-INFO (1-800-232-4636) and ask for a 

free Milestone Parent Resource Kit. 
2020 21

THE TERRIFIC AUTHOR AND ILLUSTRATOR

About Libby Martinez, Author

Libby Martinez is an award-winning Latina children’s book author and poet. She is the co-author 

of I Pledge Allegiance (Knopf/Random House), which was recognized as the Best Children’s 

Picture Book (2015) by the Texas Institute of Letters and the International Latino Book Awards. I 

Pledge Allegiance also appeared on the Cooperative Children’s Book Center’s Choices List, 

the Notable Social Studies Trade Books for Young People List, the Kentucky Bluegrass Award 

Master List, the Maine State Library’s Cream of the Crop List, and was a Scholastic Clubs & 

Fairs Selection. Libby is also the co-author of Bravo, Chico Canta! Bravo! (Groundwood Books), 

which was a Junior Library Guild Selection (Spanish Edition) and appeared on National Public 

Radio’s Diverse Summer Reading List for Kids. Prior to becoming a children’s book author and 

poet, she worked in the Texas political arena, served as the director of school and community 

partnerships for the Philadelphia Zoo, and founded a consulting and grant writing practice. 

Libby is a graduate of the University of Texas at Austin and Stanford Law School. You can learn 

more about her at libbymartinez.com.

About Allison Valentine, Illustrator

Allison Valentine, artist and illustrator, spends her time creating fun and colorful artwork. She 

has illustrated numerous children’s books over the past 10 years. She resides in Connecticut 

with her husband, two young daughters, dog and three cats - all of whom provide endless 

inspiration for her art.

Where is Bear? truly is terrific, illustrating 2-year-old 

milestones in an engaging, interactive style. I highly 

recommend it for families and providers!

—Janet L. Patterson, MD, FAAP 

 Developmental Behavioral Pediatrician

My child loves Where is Bear?. Like me, you will read 

this one again, and again, and again! 

—Brittney T. 

 Mother of 2-year-old

Meet Tiger, Bear, and their forest friends, Bird, Frog, Fox, and Turtle! In this terrifically unique 

and interactive tale, your 2-year-old child will help Tiger find Bear. Each step in your child’s 

quest to find Bear highlights important milestones in your child’s growth and development. 

Look for the leaf at the bottom of the page for these Milestone Moments. Be sure to review 

the milestone checklist and helpful parenting tips at the end of the book 

to learn more about your child’s development. 

cdc.gov/AmazingBooks

Order this book and other FREE materials, 

like milestone checklists and books for other ages, 

at cdc.gov/ActEarly/Orders

Where is Bear? is a fun, interactive way to encourage 2-year-olds in their 

development and to help parents monitor their children’s attainment of 

important skills. It’s a win-win for early development! 

—Lisa Shulman, MD

 Developmental Pediatrician