THE GRIZZLY

The sensitive handling of a difficult personal relationship between a father and son has again been successfully combined with a tense adventure, by the authors of A Golden Touch (1963, p. 11, J-11). 11-year-old David is taken for a weekend fishing trip with his father, who has long been estranged from David's mother. David's few memories of the man are frightening, all involving physical tests far beyond his capabilities. As a consequence he has always avoided outdoor activity and is deeply suspicious of his strong, rugged father. During the expedition, the father is badly injured by a grizzly bear and David is forced to take some initiative in order to cope with the situation. A bond of communication begins to develop between the two, while, the father learns to take a realistic view of his son's abilities, David comes to realize his father's deep affection for him and to understand that his father had been motivated by a desire to prevent rather than to incur his fear. The sympathetic handling of the boy's feeling under very unusual circumstances distinguishes this excellent outdoor adventure story.