OUR THREE BEARS

Hirschi’s latest wildlife title examines the habitats, life-cycle and threats to the three bears that populate the United States: black bears, grizzlies and polar bears. The smallest, most abundant and widespread of the three is the black bear. Poor eyesight is more than made up for by an excellent sense of smell, which also may lead the bears into contact with humans and their garbage. Mostly a solitary animal, grizzlies can stand as tall as ten feet and are the most powerful predator in their territory. Grizzly territory is fast shrinking due to human expansion. The polar bears may be the farthest from human centers of population, but may be the most threatened by humans as a result of the greenhouse effect. A final note encourages bear-conservation efforts. Mangelson’s amazing photographs combine both wide-angle and close-up views of the bears in their natural habitats, and the scrapbook-like format allows one of the larger photos to be the background to several smaller, framed photos. This has a sure place in educational settings. (index) (Nonfiction. 7-12)