The Last Bear: Winner of the Blue Peter Award – ‘A dazzling debut’ THE TIMES

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A gentle yet potent debut that champions conservation whilst touching upon loss and healing at the same time. For me, there were strong connections to Anthony Browne's Gorilla. A girl, ignored, largely by her father, finds love and solace in a male replacement in the form of an animal. The difference being here that the animal needs saving and taking to a new place. The bear as a foil for her own father would make for an interesting comparison too. This book follows April who joins her father to Bear Island in the Atlantic circle. With it just being them two on the island for six months, April goes exploring and comes across a stranded polar bear. She strikes up a friendship with this polar bear as it also explores various themes such as grief, climate change and protecting our planet and animals.

in Schools Catalogue 2023–24, 1483 in Education Catalogue 2023–24 and 572 in UK Primary September 2023 Format I absolutely loved April the main protagonist that we follow and i am just so so glad that when she meets Bear and continues to meet him and build his trust that the relationship was kept real and didn’t go down a fantastical route which it could have.This book followed April, 11, told in the third person point of view, as she recounted about how she met Bear 3 weeks after she arrived on Bear Island. Her dad was a scientist and her mom died when she was younger. Due to an assignment about global warming, April's father was offered a job to do his research for 6 months in the Arctic Circle, specifically, Bear Island. Her dad's job was often busy and she's left on her own. Bear Island no longer has Bear because the ice caps have melted. On April's first day on Bear Island, she thought she saw a glimpse of a polar bear and so her mission was to hunt for him every day and to eventually understand why he's here. There are no polar bears left on Bear Island. At least, that’s what April’s father tells her when his scientific research takes them to this remote Arctic outpost for six months. But one endless summer night, April meets one. He is starving, lonely and a long way from home. Determined to save him, April begins the most important journey of her life . . . I loved the messages within this book, and I think if young minds read this, it will really open their eyes to the world and inspire them to want to help the planet. I think in using this friendship between April and Bear, we can understand more the impact we are having on this planet. I truly think, in the right hands, this book will do so much for the next generation in making this world a better place. A dazzling debut . . . A magical, confidently told story – with beautiful illustrations by Levi Pinfold’ The Times

Since April's mother died, her father has grown ever-distant - throwing himself into his work. So when an opportunity arises for them both to work on the remote Bear Island within the Arctic Circle, April and Dad, both recognise great potential in the trip even if their goals are different. Whilst April hopes that the solitude might bring them closer together, her father sees this as an even greater opportunity to become lost in research. With no one to really talk to or be with, April tours the island only to find it has another resident - a lost, neglected polar bear. Imagine making friends with a polar bear… The Last Bear is perfect for readers of 8+, beautifully illustrated throughout by Levi Pinfold I finished this one last night but wanted to wait a bit before writing my review, and this one stayed with me and I think that's a sign of just how important and amazing a read this is. April’s father takes her with him to an Arctic Outpost for six months while he does work with weather stuff. April and her father aren’t as close after her mother died years agoThere are no polar bears left on Bear Island. At least, that’s what April’s father tells her when his scientific research takes them to this remote Arctic outpost for six months. But one endless summer night, April meets one. He is starving, lonely and a long way from home. Determined to save him, April begins the most important journey of her life… Her father proved just as lovable, if less immediately likable. His growth across the novel was a lovely one to witness, and also ensured this different from the usual main character's arc witnessed in other similar stories I have read. The illustrations for this book are absolutely mind blowing and they are an absolute pleasure to feast your eyes upon. They are so life like and bring Hannah’s writing to life. I think it would have ruined it Bear suddenly started talking. Overcoming the barrier of being totally different species is a beautifully written process and seeing the trust and their relationship grow really is beautiful. This is an important first novel, important for us, for polar bears, for the planet. It is deeply moving, beautifully told, quite unforgettable’ Michael Morpurgo

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. This story is a wonderful mix of the wonder of the natural world and a call to activism. April Wood is an 11 year old girl that has a deep relationship with nature. She feels drawn to the heart of the Earth, and can sense the secret things of wildlife. She will be spending the summer on an arctic island while her father works measuring the changing temperatures and collecting data. The island they will be going to is called Bear Island, only due to the decreasing size of ice caps, polar bears no longer inhabit the area. Or do they? This moving story will win the hearts of children the world over and show them that no one is too young or insignificant to make a difference. The Last Bear is a celebration of the love between a child and an animal, a battle cry for our world and an irresistible adventure with a heart as big as a bear’s.This remained such an important and emotional story, throughout. My heart broke along with April's at the plastic-strewn shorelines, diminishing species, and disappearing ice caps this featured. The polar bear that appeared upon one of April's adventures ensured this was not a wholly traumatic and sorrowful read, however. I can imagine it providing a whimsical yet educational reading experience for its target audience, as it appealed to this grown-up reader in a very similar way. The chapters were a desirable length, and kept a good pace, which I believe will help readers to stay engaged.