If You Give A Bear A Bong is a children’s book for former children. A parody of If You Give A Moose A Muffin and If You Give A Mouse A Cookie, it is a heartwarming, cautionary tale about the dangers of mixing weed and wildlife.
The book reveals what happens when a boy and his bong meet a bud-loving bear.
Written by Sam Miserendino and illustrated by Mike Odum. The book reveals what happens when a boy and his bong meet a bud-loving bear. The story follows a curious bear as he experiences the highs and lows of being high. From the euphoric feeling that he’s floating to being couch-locked.
Written by Sam Miserendino and Illustrated by Mike Odum
Sam is an attorney by day, author by night and father 24/7
The last role inspired him to write about beer-drinking bunnies and bong-smoking bears. Sam read books about a carb-addicted moose and mouse to his son and daughter for a million times. His thoughts drifted to other animals and other addictions. Critters that populate the children’s books can be far more interesting and funny. If treated to something with a bit more kick than cookies and muffins.
The first book Sam wrote, in what was to become the Addicted Animal series, was If You Give A Bunny A Beer. Creator’s Edge Press, a small independent publisher based in Seattle, picked up the book. Which quickly became the best-selling book they had ever published. But more importantly, that beer-drinking bunny led Sam to realize just how much this world needed a bong-smoking bear.
The making of If You Give A Bear A Bong
Sam and Mike did not want their beer-loving bunny to feel lonely (thereby giving him more reason to drink). So they decided to come up with other addicted animals to grace the back cover. Sam has no doubt that the brainstorming session has forever disqualified him for the parent-of-the-year award.
Sam’s two children joined him and Mike as they tossed out the names of other animals and alternative substances. They settled on If You Give A Bear A Bong, If You Give A Kitten A Cosmo and If You Give A Panda Percocet. Mike designed covers for the non-existent books and placed them on the back cover of If You Give A Bunny A Beer.
After the release of If You Give A Bunny A Beer, request flooded from people who wanted to know where they could find If You Give A Bear A Bong. Perhaps it was because, like the bunny, they had been drinking too much. Perhaps it was because they’re stoned. Or perhaps it was because they recognized a really funny idea when they saw it. Maybe it was a combination of all three.
If You Give A Bear A Bong followed the release of If You Give A Bunny A Beer.
The desire to see If You Give A Bear A Bong become an actual book reached audience outside of Sam’s bunny book. Thanks to the success of If You Give A Bunny A Beer, Sam was able to get an agent who began pitching the book to major publishers.
Published by Skyhorse Publishing
The editors at Skyhorse Publishing not only wanted to publish If You Give A Bunny A Beer. They also wanted him to write the book about the bong-smoking bear so that they could publish that as well. And so what started as a joke within a joke ended up in bookstores around the world.
The Book’s Reception…
If You Give A Bear A Bong has become a presence in the world of weed. Dabazon ranked it as one of the seven best weed themed books of 2018. The book has also earned praise from online marijuana advocates like Kali Kush. As well as prominent WeedTuber, Marijuanaman.
Sam has learned, however, that writing a book about a bong-smoking bear not only invites praise but “peril” as well. Last year, traveling from the United States to Canada to appear at Fan Expo in Toronto he stopped at the checkpoint and told the border patrol officer that he was an author traveling to a convention. The officer asked to see the book he was bringing across the border. With some trepidation, Sam handed him If You Give A Bear A Bong. Much to Sam’s relief, the border patrol officer started laughing as he leafed through the book. Handing it back to Sam the officer said “In light of what you’ve written, I have to ask – Is there any marijuana in your vehicle?” Fortunately, the answer was “No”.
If You Give A Bear A Bong not only induces laughter in border patrol officers but others as well. Emil Novak, Sr., owner of Queen City Bookstore. He says that whenever he hears customers laughing in his store, it’s a sure bet they’re reading Sam’s book. In addition, you can find If You Give A Bear A Bong on Amazon, in Barnes and Noble stores throughout the United States. As well as virtually anywhere else books are available. You can find out where Sam will be appearing to sign books and get updates at his Facebook page.
Have you had a chance to read If You Give A Bear A Bong? What are your thoughts on the book? Let us know! Post in the comments below or on our forum!