Disclaimer: I received a free copy of this book via NatGalley and Harper Collins in exchange for an honest review.
Genre: Middle Grade
Release Date: February 2, 2021
Rating: 4/5 stars
Synopsis:
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 a faraway Arctic outpost.
But one night, April catches a glimpse of something distinctly bear shaped loping across the horizon. A polar bear who shouldn’t be there—who is hungry, lonely and a long way from home.
Sarah's Thoughts:
The Last Bear is intriguing from the very first page. Gold presented a story that is not only highly entertaining, but also informative, heartwarming, and heartbreaking at the same time. This book is infused with the reality of global warming's affects on the polar ice caps, and of course polar bears. There is a lot of factual information woven into the story in such a way that really makes sense to the younger readers this story is geared towards.
Our main character, April, is small in stature but large in personality. I loved everything about her. She is strong, independent, and empathetic. I do think for a majority of this book the relationship between April and her father was extremely unhealthy, and I think that the book could have portrayed a healthy relationship without taking away from the story.
The Last Bear had beautiful illustrations throughout, and I really loved the art style. There was also a bit of Norwegian influence in the book as well. I really liked the use of the word "friluftsliv" which means "open-air life." This really tied into the story, and I appreciated that we saw this word pop up multiple times.
Overall this is a gorgeous story of finding friendship in unexpected places, and finding and using your own voice. I highly recommend this book to any animal lover or child interested in learning more about global warming.
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