A Voice for the Spirit Bears: How One Boy Inspired Millions to Save a Rare Animal (CitizenKid)

by Carmen Oliver (Author) Katy Dockrill (Illustrator)

Reading Level: 4th − 5th Grade
Series: CitizenKid

As a child, Simon Jackson found navigating the world of the school playground difficult. He felt most at home in the woodlands, learning about and photographing wildlife. As a teenager, he became fascinated with spirit bears, a rare subspecies of black bear with creamy white fur. These elusive creatures were losing their habitat to deforestation, and Simon knew he had to do something to protect them. He decided he would become the voice for the spirit bears. But first, he would have to find his own.

Carmen Oliver's inspiring true story is based on the early life of Simon Jackson, who founded the Spirit Bear Youth Coalition. On his remarkable journey to protect the spirit bears, he met Dr. Jane Goodall and eventually hiked the Great Bear Rainforestthe home of these elusive animals.

Katy Dockrill's captivating art adds depth and beauty to the story. Photos and additional details about Simon Jackson's life and about spirit bears are included in the end matter.

Part of the CitizenKid collection, this book demonstrates how one child can be a voice for change. Simon's story is an excellent example of growth mindset at work, highlighting personal growth and overcoming obstacles through activism. This book can also be used to lead discussions about character education as it relates to courage, resilience and perseverance. In addition, it has strong science curriculum links to the environment, animal habitats and the effects of clear-cutting.

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Hardcover
$18.99

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Carmen Oliver
Carmen Oliver is the author of the picture book biography A Voice for the Spirit Bears (Kids Can) and the Bears Make the Best Buddies series (Capstone). She is the founder of the Booking Biz, an agency that brings children's authors and illustrators to schools, libraries, and special events. Carmen lives in Round Rock, Texas, with her family. Visit her website at carmenoliver.com or follow her on Twitter @carmenoliver.

Luisa Uribe has illustrated many books for children, including Your Name Is a Song (Innovation Press), Areli Is a Dreamer (Random House), and Dear Earth.From Your Friends in Room 5 (HarperCollins). In 2018, her work on The Vast Wonder of the World (Millbrook) received the Society of Illustrators Dilys Evans Founder's Award. Luisa lives in Bogotá, Colombia, where she enjoys drawing, reading, and chasing her cat around the house. Visit Luisa's website at luisauribe.com or follow her on Instagram at @lupencita.
Classification
Non-fiction
ISBN-13
9781771389792
Lexile Measure
-
Guided Reading Level
-
Publisher
Kids Can Press
Publication date
May 07, 2019
Series
CitizenKid
BISAC categories
JNF007110 - Juvenile Nonfiction | Biography & Autobiography | Social Activists
JNF003020 - Juvenile Nonfiction | Animals | Bears
JNF003270 - Juvenile Nonfiction | Animals | Endangered
Library of Congress categories
-

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