Great bear encounter.
When two grizzly bears surface on Cormorant Island off the coast of British Columbia, their unexpected presence triggers local excitement.
One September day, after a long trek from the Great Bear Rainforest on the mainland, two grizzlies arrive in the quiet coastal town of Alert Bay, snack on wild cranberries and grasses, and watch the sunset. The next day, they explore the town, walking the streets, nibbling gardens, and digging shore crabs. When they start ambling through backyards and climbing trees to eat plums, the bears really attract attention since no one has ever seen a grizzly on the island before. Eventually, conservation officers lure the bears into containers with plum and salmon treats. After they are tranquilized and moved to the airport, the bears are hoisted by helicopter in a large net and flown safely back to their forest home on the mainland, to everyone’s relief. Based on a real event, this simple story calls attention to the increased presence of bears in urban settings; inclusion of useful facts on grizzlies, bear encounters, and safety tips for avoiding bears when hiking and camping spurs reader awareness. Luminous, realistic, colorful illustrations capture the splendor of coastal British Columbia, adding geographic, cultural, and naturalistic context as well as revealing the grizzlies as calm, curious, hungry visitors simply enjoying their holiday away from home.
Great bear encounter. (map, additional facts, safety tips) (Picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: Sept. 22, 2020
ISBN: 978-1-55017-907-1
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Harbour Publishing
Review Posted Online: July 13, 2020
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 1, 2020
A sweet, soft conversation starter and a charming gift.
A paean to teachers and their surrogates everywhere.
This gentle ode to a teacher’s skill at inspiring, encouraging, and being a role model is spoken, presumably, from a child’s viewpoint. However, the voice could equally be that of an adult, because who can’t look back upon teachers or other early mentors who gave of themselves and offered their pupils so much? Indeed, some of the self-aware, self-assured expressions herein seem perhaps more realistic as uttered from one who’s already grown. Alternatively, readers won’t fail to note that this small book, illustrated with gentle soy-ink drawings and featuring an adult-child bear duo engaged in various sedentary and lively pursuits, could just as easily be about human parent- (or grandparent-) child pairs: some of the softly colored illustrations depict scenarios that are more likely to occur within a home and/or other family-oriented setting. Makes sense: aren’t parents and other close family members children’s first teachers? This duality suggests that the book might be best shared one-on-one between a nostalgic adult and a child who’s developed some self-confidence, having learned a thing or two from a parent, grandparent, older relative, or classroom instructor.
A sweet, soft conversation starter and a charming gift. (Picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: March 1, 2017
ISBN: 978-1-943200-08-5
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Compendium
Review Posted Online: Dec. 13, 2016
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 1, 2017
A friendship tale with solid messaging and plenty of fun sounds to share.
In this latest in the series, Little Blue Truck, driven by pal Toad, is challenged to a countryside race by Racer Red, a sleek, low-slung vehicle.
Blue agrees, and the race is on. Although the two start off “hood to hood / and wheel to wheel,” they switch positions often as they speed their way over dusty country roads. Blue’s farm friends follow along to share in the excitement and shout out encouragement; adult readers will have fun voicing the various animal sounds. Short rhyming verses on each page and several strategic page turns add drama to the narrative, but soft, mottled effects in the otherwise colorful illustrations keep the competition from becoming too intense. Racer Red crosses the finish line first, but Blue is a gracious loser, happy to have worked hard. That’s a new concept for Racer Red, who’s laser-focused on victory but takes Blue’s words (“win or lose, it’s fun to try!”) to heart—a revelation that may lead to worthwhile storytime discussions. When Blue’s farm animal friends hop into the truck for the ride home, Racer Red tags along and learns a second lesson, one about speed. “Fast is fun, / and slow is too, / as long as you’re / with friends.”
A friendship tale with solid messaging and plenty of fun sounds to share. (Picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: March 25, 2025
ISBN: 9780063387843
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Clarion/HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: Jan. 18, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 15, 2025
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