This work is based around a case study of a class of children, their teacher and a stuffed bear suit. Jenny Tyrrell illustrates the possibilities an inanimate object can offer the teaching and learning situation. Drawing on her own experiences, she shows how the bear became an integral part of the school. She combines theory with practice to explore the teaching issues in the early years. The book covers issues including: the influence of the bear on the whole school; the child's perception of the bear; the influence of a story book; the influence of learning goals in a child's school life at Key Stage 1; imaginative development; motivation to write and to read; the role of fantasy in the lives of children with specific needs; the influence of the bear on the whole curriculum; and the children's thought and opinions.