About the Holiday
National Doughnut Day was established in 1938 by Chicago’s Salvation Army to honor the women who served doughnuts and other home-cooked foods to soldiers on the front lines in France during World War I as well as to help the needy during the Great Depression. In 1917, 250 Salvation Army “Lassies” volunteered to provide morale boosters to the troops, such as small necessities and a break from the fighting. They also began making homemade food for the troops to remind them of home. One of these offerings was a doughnut cooked inside a helmet. Salvation Army Ensign Margaret Sheldon “wrote of one busy day: “Today I made 22 pies, 300 doughnuts, 700 cups of coffee.’”
A Bear, a Man, and a Doughnut Van
Written by Daniel Bernstrom | Illustrated by Brandon James Scott
It’s early morning—6:00, to be precise—and “a bear,” whose den overlooks a sleepy neighborhood, is waking up. In the sleepy neighborhood, “a man” yawns in his raspberry-hued bedroom, not quite ready to get up. A cup of coffee later, the man—now “a happy man” saunters out to his donut truck to inspect his wares, unaware of the bear also eyeing his wares. This bear is “a hungry bear,” and as luck (or unluck—all depending . . .) would have it, is also a donut lover. As the man is sneaking a blueberry-frosted from a box next to him, the bear is sneaking into the back of the van—and so the scene is set with “a happy man” and “a happy bear.”
But not for long. As you might imagine, a hungry bear devouring doughnuts a mere few feet away might attract attention. And . . . you’d be right. The donut man takes a wary glance into the rearview mirror, and eye-popping panic ensues. The man screams! The bear screams! The van screams down the road—a runaway! The man drives; the bear hangs on. The bear drives; the man hangs on. They barrel toward a traffic jam then like a plane on the runway, they’re soaring into the air to who knows where. Will there still be any doughnuts to share?
Daniel Bernstrom’s and Brandon James Scott’s rip-roaring mashup of slapstick and buddy comedy will have kids laughing from their first glimpse of the bear, who they’ll eagerly follow as he gets closer and closer to the donut van to the story’s sweet finish. Young readers will adore being in on the coming surprise as the man peers into the mirror, and as chaos ensues, children will be torn between flipping the pages as fast as they can and pumping the breaks to catch all of the hilarity.
Just as for his other books in this series—A Bear, a Bee, and a Honey Tree and A Bear, a Fish, and a Fishy Wish—Daniel Bernstrom, an English teacher, wrote A Bear, a Man, and a Donut Van with the aim of guiding fledging readers toward confident, independent reading. His use of minimal text provides new readers with the types of repeat vocabulary, short sentences, rhyming prompts, and high-energy propulsion that nurture success. Bernstrom’s sprightly storytelling also encourages imaginative thinking and an active connection between readers and Brandon James Scott’s expressive illustrations.
Kids are gleefully along for the rollicking ride in Brandon James Scott’s frosting-colored illustrations filled with sweet silliness, suspense, and surprise. Farcical facial expressions and shifting fortunes maximize the humor. Scott slyly puts young readers in league with the bear by revealing funny clues as to how he entered the van, the similarities between him and the man, and how he secures a happy ending for the man as well as his own forest friends.
Wild and wooly in the best possible ways, A Bear, a Man, and a Doughnut Van is laugh-out-loud entertainment with a side of early-reading confidence that both kids and adults will adore sharing again and again. The book is a must for any library and home collection.
Ages 4 – 8
Hippo Park, 2026 | ISBN 978-1662641206
Daniel Bernstrom is a teacher, a poet, and the author of seven picture books, including One Day in the Eucalyptus, Eucalyptus Tree, illustrated by Brendan Wenzel. His book Big Papa and the Time Machine won the Minnesota Book Award and is the story of his grandfather leaving the south to find work and start a family amidst the challenges of 20th-century African American life. Daniel lives in Worthington, Minnesota with his family.
By day Brandon James Scott is a creative director working in animation and by night he illustrates picture books. For over a decade Brandon has worked on a range of hit animated entertainment including his own creation, the award-winning series, Justin Time. He loves to make art that brings adventure, levity, heart, and curiosity for the fantastic and whimsical world around us and in our dreams. A born and raised Canadian, he currently lives with his family in Toronto.
National Doughnut Day Activity
Delicious Doughnut Decor
Bake up some delicious decor with unused CDs or DVDs and this easy craft!
Supplies
- Unused CDs or DVDs or cut circles from cardboard, foam board or poster board
- Craft paint in tan, black, pink, yellow, white (or any colors you want for the doughnut and the icing)
- Ribbon, any color and length you want
- Fine-tip markers in bright colors
- Glue
- Glue dots (optional)
- Paint brush
Directions
- Paint a wavy edge around the CD or other material and let dry
- Add “frosting” by painting from the wavy line inward to the clear center of the CD, leaving the clear circle unpainted. If using another material, draw and cut a center “hole” for your doughnut.
- When the “frosting” is dry, draw sprinkles on it with the markers
- With the ribbon make a loop hanger and attach it to the back of the CD with glue or glue dots
- Hang your decoration
You can purchase A Bear, a Man, and a Doughnut Van from these booksellers
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop
Picture Book Review
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