Illustrated by Wendell Minor
Rating: Additional
Harpercollins, 2009, $16.99
ISBN: 9780061240676
Age/Grade Level: Kindergarten and up
Beautiful illustrations. Mini-lesson on the results of global warming and pollution. A little bit preachy for the adult readers, it manages to touch on endangered species, gender stereotypes, pollution, the theory of global warming and its ultimate impact. Aka, the young Native American, and his grandmother take in an orphaned polar bear cub to teach it how to "survive in a changing world." Good intentions, but are they doing the bear any favors by bringing him nto contact with the people and living with them? Would he be able to return to the wild and survive after that? All sorts of questions about the real value of taking in a wild animal to have humans teach him how to survive in the new world are raised, and not really addressed.
Reviewer: Cathy Gillette, OCPL/La Habra
