A review by librarydreams
Bear Island by Matthew Cordell

emotional hopeful reflective sad slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

I honestly don't know what to say about this book. To start, Cordell's art was, as usual, engaging and emotive. He almost could have told this story without any words at all. There are some elements about the narrative that I really dislike, <spoilers>particularly when the family gets a new puppy. The implication seems to be that living beings are replaceable, though this is slightly mitigated by the fact that the puppy likes different things than the first dog</spoilers>. The interactions between the bear and Louise, however, get to the core of grief in a way that is both beautiful and heart-wrenching.