April is excited to be going on an adventure with her Dad to the Arctic Circle. Well, he’s actually going to
work at the weather station on Bear Island. There is no-one else on Bear Island, so she believes they will have so much time together for sledding and exploring and long nature walks.
When he vanishes into his work cabin, only returning to sleep in the home cabin, April sees her special plans for time with her dad slipping away. He used to be fun, cracking jokes and reading stories to her, but things have never been the same since her mum died.
April decides to go exploring on her own across the desolate but beautiful landscape around them. She saw something far in the distance soon after she arrived, and wants to check it out. Everyone has told her there are no polar bears left on Bear Island, but she thinks they might be wrong.
She’s right. She’s frightened when she meets a polar bear, but her heart instantly goes out to him in his matted, starving, forlorn state. Gaining his trust with her special way with animals inherited from her mother, snacks and lots of peanut butter, they are soon friends.
Bear replaces her need for someone to talk to and seems to understand her. The more time she spends with him, the more she understands him too. They spend the summer months together, for hours and hours every day because the sun doesn’t set in the Arctic Circle summer.
But although she deems it her best summer ever and the happiest time she’s ever known, a feeling of dread is beginning to creep in. What will happen to Bear when she has to leave?
This beautiful hardback, exquisitely illustrated by Levi Pinfold is a treat for all animal lovers. The special bond between girl and bear is magical, making me think how wonderful it would be to have such a connection with animals as April has.
The author stresses NOT to try and make friends with a real life polar bear, especially a hungry one like Bear is, but the understanding between them brings April to question what adults are actually doing about climate change. Taking measurements is all well and good but how is that helping achieve something? A question we all need to ask.
Her plan to do something is fraught with danger and disaster, but the girl-bear bond shines through. A couple of tissues were required at the sad/happy end.
Author – Hannah Gold
Illustrator – Levi Pinfold
Age – 8+
(2021, Harper Collins, Bear, Arctic Circle, Animals, Cold, Snow, Elements, Love of animals, Loss, Grief, Care, Friendship, Bond, Adventure, Ice, Rescue, Life and Death, Danger, Loneliness, Award winning, Waterstones Children’s Book Prize, The Blue Peter Book Award, Secret, Duology)