jshettel's review
4.0
A wonderful book that tells just enough details about the polar bear to teach children something new yet not so dense with info that it loses that picture-book feel. Beautiful illustrations complement this text.
tigerlilliereads's review against another edition
3.0
This one was really good. Lyrical, beautiful and enchanting for young readers
stefhyena's review against another edition
4.0
Suitable mainly for 4-8 year olds this book nicely balances itself between fiction and non-fiction being a factual account of the life of an ice bear (polar bear or nanuk) written in a narrative style. The pictures are detailed and sensitive bringing us into the world of the bear and un-othering another species. When I read to children I find the insertion of facts into the text unhelpful and interruptive, but if i skip them it reads well and I guess older, more independent readers might gain something from them (if nothing else a beginning of appreciation for genre and the differences between fiction and non-fiction).
In the facts there is some acknowledgement of the conservation and sustainability issues aroun the survival of this beautiful species and within the text there is a post-colonial acknowledgement of the Inuit people (also battling to survive).
Finally the contrasts between the huge and super-strong bear and the gentleness of the nurture between mother and cub and the wholistic connecting between the Inuit and the nanuk, along with the passing seasons. Aaaah what a beautiful book!
In the facts there is some acknowledgement of the conservation and sustainability issues aroun the survival of this beautiful species and within the text there is a post-colonial acknowledgement of the Inuit people (also battling to survive).
Finally the contrasts between the huge and super-strong bear and the gentleness of the nurture between mother and cub and the wholistic connecting between the Inuit and the nanuk, along with the passing seasons. Aaaah what a beautiful book!
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