Polar Bear

The team behind Honeybee and Giant Squid portrays beauty and suspense in the lives of a polar bear family struggling to adapt to a warming Arctic. In an early image, two cubs nestle by their mother's great bulk. Following a month of waiting for the cubs' birth and four months of nursing them, the mother bear--now in desperate need of food--leads them "along a trail that she took with her own mother... along a trail her cubs will take when they are grown." When they arrive at the ice, though, she finds that it's melting rapidly, forestalling the hunting-- and the nourishment--that its presence allows. In a tense moment, she further finds herself stranded with her cubs on a broken floe: "What has happened to the Arctic spring world she has always known?" Yet through numerous trials--threats from wolves, unsuccessful hunting, and a marathon swim--the mother's judgment and experience keep her cubs safe. Fleming's lengthy verses persuasively portray the world through a polar bear's senses, and Rohmann's vivid close-ups of the bears are matched by spacious spreads that capture the distinctive light of the north. Back matter supplies an author's note and further facts. Ages 4-8. (Nov.)

Copyright 2022 Publishers Weekly, LLC Used with permission.

Gr 2-5--A gripping drama captured in scientifically rich but not overwhelming text. The Sibert Medal-winning team (Honeybee) now takes readers to the Arctic to witness the life of a mother polar bear and her cubs. Emerging from winter with two children, after months of living off her stored fat, the mother must now find food. Seamlessly blending details about polar bears into a dramatic tale, Fleming takes readers to the water's edge where the mother bear hunts for ringed seals in the icy waters of springtime on the Hudson Bay. Climate change has made the life of a polar bear even more challenging, and the author has done a masterful job of connecting readers to the plight of this one family. Neither illustrations nor book design anthropomorphize the animals but readers will be on the edge of their seats as they follow the trio on their journey of survival, made all the more treacherous by a warming planet. Back matter, including a caption-rich diagram of a polar bear, additional resources for more learning, and ideas for the fight against climate change are included. VERDICT Gorgeous illustrations capture a fragile ecosystem, making this an outstanding collaboration that belongs in all library collections.--John Scott

Copyright 2022 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.