The Last Bear: Winner of the Blue Peter Award – ‘A dazzling debut’ THE TIMES

Product Information

I finished this one last night but wanted to wait a bit before writing my review, and this one stayed with me and I think that's a sign of just how important and amazing a read this is.

This story is a wonderful mix of the wonder of the natural world and a call to activism. April Wood is an 11 year old girl that has a deep relationship with nature. She feels drawn to the heart of the Earth, and can sense the secret things of wildlife. She will be spending the summer on an arctic island while her father works measuring the changing temperatures and collecting data. The island they will be going to is called Bear Island, only due to the decreasing size of ice caps, polar bears no longer inhabit the area. Or do they? I think it would have ruined it Bear suddenly started talking. Overcoming the barrier of being totally different species is a beautifully written process and seeing the trust and their relationship grow really is beautiful. This book made me cry so hard and I’m looking at even more things to do to help with the animals and nature that matter more to me than anything. I’m going to have to get creative as I do a lot now and I want to do many more things that matter before I die....There are no polar bears left on Bear Island. At least, that’s what April’s father tells her when his scientific research takes them to this remote Arctic outpost for six months. But one endless summer night, April meets one. He is starving, lonely and a long way from home. Determined to save him, April begins the most important journey of her life… The chapters were a desirable length, and kept a good pace, which I believe will help readers to stay engaged. April’s father takes her with him to an Arctic Outpost for six months while he does work with weather stuff. April and her father aren’t as close after her mother died years ago For me, there were strong connections to Anthony Browne's Gorilla. A girl, ignored, largely by her father, finds love and solace in a male replacement in the form of an animal. The difference being here that the animal needs saving and taking to a new place. The bear as a foil for her own father would make for an interesting comparison too. Imagine making friends with a polar bear… The Last Bear is perfect for readers of 8+, beautifully illustrated throughout by Levi Pinfold – winner of the Kate Greenaway Medal and illustrator of Harry Potter 20th anniversary edition covers.

A dazzling debut . . . A magical, confidently told story – with beautiful illustrations by Levi Pinfold’ The TimesThis is an important first novel, important for us, for polar bears, for the planet. It is deeply moving, beautifully told, quite unforgettable.” Michael Morpurgo. This was a delight to read. I enjoyed the themes that didn’t really seem probable and partially magical, because they helped to show compassion and kindness throughout the story. In addition to the much needed light shed on environmentalism and conservation, they was a lot of attention to loss and coping. This was done in a way that I felt could be easily understood by children. I loved that there was a call to do your part, no matter how small you are, or how small your action, you can make a difference. Small action leads to results faster than no action at all. Such an inspiring message for children! Hannah's writing is full of poetry and emotion. Whilst Bear is wild, April is caught between sensibility and the special gift she has with being attuned to nature; it is this that allows her to communicate with Bear throughout. This connection between reality and the magical wildness of the landscape and Bear was something I enjoyed and there were times when I wondered, like April's father, whether Bear was real or not. All of which is heightened by Levi Pinfold's outstanding illustrations throughout.