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4.18 AVERAGE
4.18 AVERAGE
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
Wow. This was everything I love about middle grade (and children’s books in general) rolled into a gorgeous little parcel and tied with a bow. Throughout reading this one, I kept thinking back to what I loved as a child and I just know I would have adored this one if I picked it up.
We follow April, an animal loving girl who travels to a remote island with her father so he can look after the weather station there. While living alone with her father on this island, she makes friends with Bear, a polar bear who isn’t meant to be on the island.
There were so many aspects of this book I adored. I loved the relationship April had with Bear, it was so sweet and moving but also made April reflect on other aspects of her life, such as climate change and her relationship with her father.
Although this one is emotional and does discuss grief, it never felt too heavy or overwhelming and felt like the perfect level for children to understand and relate to. The discussions of climate change also felt quite appropriate for children, while also being passionate and important.
The adventure aspects of the story made it so easy to escape into, and I loved being able to pick it up and fly through some pages. I honestly think this is perfect for adults and children, and I never felt like I was reading a story that wasn’t applicable to me, despite it being written for a much younger audience.
I can’t wait to read more from this author and dive into her newest release The Lost Whale. I also would like to congratulate Hannah on winning the Waterstones Children’s Book Prize 2022, which is so well deserved!
★★★★★
5 out of 5 stars
-Beth
May your shelves forever overflow with books! ☽
We follow April, an animal loving girl who travels to a remote island with her father so he can look after the weather station there. While living alone with her father on this island, she makes friends with Bear, a polar bear who isn’t meant to be on the island.
There were so many aspects of this book I adored. I loved the relationship April had with Bear, it was so sweet and moving but also made April reflect on other aspects of her life, such as climate change and her relationship with her father.
Although this one is emotional and does discuss grief, it never felt too heavy or overwhelming and felt like the perfect level for children to understand and relate to. The discussions of climate change also felt quite appropriate for children, while also being passionate and important.
The adventure aspects of the story made it so easy to escape into, and I loved being able to pick it up and fly through some pages. I honestly think this is perfect for adults and children, and I never felt like I was reading a story that wasn’t applicable to me, despite it being written for a much younger audience.
I can’t wait to read more from this author and dive into her newest release The Lost Whale. I also would like to congratulate Hannah on winning the Waterstones Children’s Book Prize 2022, which is so well deserved!
★★★★★
5 out of 5 stars
-Beth
May your shelves forever overflow with books! ☽
adventurous
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
emotional
hopeful
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
*Thank you to Books are my Bag for sending me a copy of this book!*
If you’re looking for a really sweet middle grade to dive into, for yourself or for a younger person in your life, this book was really beautiful. From the actual story itself to the illustrations that accompanied it, I really enjoyed this one.
It felt like such a warm and cozy book, which sounds a bit crazy since it’s literally set in a freezing cold climate and the familial strain in here feels anything but warm. It’s full of such heart and tenderness regardless, and it was lovely to see how the characters moved forward and developed as the story went on. Though it wa a short story, it managed to pack quite a bit in if you dive under the surface of what its saying.
This book is also a great way to introduce the topic of saving the planet and global warming onto younger readers. It puts it all forward in quite an easy way and I can see it prompting a lot of discussion and really developing empathy and understanding of the issue. Though it was a sad one at times. It felt hopeful in the end.
If you’re looking for a really sweet middle grade to dive into, for yourself or for a younger person in your life, this book was really beautiful. From the actual story itself to the illustrations that accompanied it, I really enjoyed this one.
It felt like such a warm and cozy book, which sounds a bit crazy since it’s literally set in a freezing cold climate and the familial strain in here feels anything but warm. It’s full of such heart and tenderness regardless, and it was lovely to see how the characters moved forward and developed as the story went on. Though it wa a short story, it managed to pack quite a bit in if you dive under the surface of what its saying.
This book is also a great way to introduce the topic of saving the planet and global warming onto younger readers. It puts it all forward in quite an easy way and I can see it prompting a lot of discussion and really developing empathy and understanding of the issue. Though it was a sad one at times. It felt hopeful in the end.
adventurous
reflective
sad
medium-paced
I received a free copy of this book via NetGalley and Harper Collins in exchange for an honest review.
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.
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.
adventurous
challenging
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
inspiring
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
N/A
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No