A gorgeous Christmas story of friendship and acceptance!
This is such a heart-warming, magical tale, it has a beautiful message of kindness and that no matter what life throws at you good and happiness is always around the corner.
A beautiful coming-of-age story which still holds on to child-like charm and magic.

Such a cute and unique little childrens book. I will be buying the physical copy when I have the chance as I think there is a lot of protential in this book. The artwork is stunning and the story has an extra something that I think is missing in some other books of the same genre at the moment

Beautiful, wild and precious book that deserves to be eaten up in one sitting. Left me feeling hopeful

Thea feels bitterly disappointed when she is sent to Norway to visit her father for Christmas but the heartfelt reunion and bonding she was hoping for doesn't materialise. Then while exploring the woods near the house, she discovers a lonely, bedraggled bear who is more scared of her and all humans.
Such a lovely, touching story. I really felt for both Thea and Bear, they had such a sweet relationship, both needing someone they could trust in. The descriptions of the scenery and of Bear were wonderful too.

This isn’t the rose-tinted Christmas story I was expecting (and in some ways looking forward to!) – it explores the memories of Ursula’s mother, Thea, as she tells the tale of a Christmas in Norway with her estranged father and step family. There is pain, hurt, misunderstanding and mess, but in the middle of it all, Thea encounters a bear hiding in the forest. Both hiding from their past, they bond and form a relationship where, during the course of the story, both protect each other, until in the end the bear is the force that finally allows Thea to connect with her father. After a slow beginning, in the end this was a heart-warmer – and one that also opened my eyes to what Christmas is like in a different culture.

Set in the 1970s, Thea is a young girl who visits her father and his new partner and step-children in Norway for the Christmas holidays. She desperately wanted a typewriter for her winter birthday, but her father (or rather, his girlfriend) bought her a pair of boots instead. Sulking around the village and woods, Thea encounters an escaped bear who has fled mistreatment and a life of entertaining tourists. Thea's encounters with the bear help her realise the true meaning of Christmas and family.

This book is stunning and reminded me so much of [book:The Butterfly Lion|1518109]. I breezed through the book in no time at all because I couldn't bear not knowing if the bear was safe or not! Lean's ability to weave tension in many forms throughout the book is simply masterful. I will be buying this book for my daughter when she is old enough.

Be aware that there are mild references to hunting and animal cruelty in the book, but nothing that should upset most children aged 9+.

Thanks to Netgalley, Sarah Lean and Simon & Schuster Children's UK for a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

Every year at Christmas, Thea’s daughter asks to hear the story behind a photo of her grandfather with a bear, and Thea, who has fulfilled her childhood dream to be a writer, obliges with the tale.
Thea’s absent father has failed to send a present for her 11th birthday, so Thea writes to him asking for a typewriter. Instead, she finds herself in Norway to spend Christmas with his new family, and away from her mother for the first time. Resentful of the way Henry ignores her and seems to favour the company of Inge’s children, Thea at first is determined not to fit in, and finds solace in the local bric-a-brac shop with V, the flamboyant owner, and an old typewriter on which she begins a story. A chance encounter with an elderly and very thin escaped bear provides the theme of her writing, and results in her stealing food from the house to feed it. Feeling increasingly alienated and homesick, Thea continually tries to escape the company of her step-brother and sister, whom she perceives as favoured by her father. However, when the bear’s survival is threatened, she finds allies in unlikely places.
With its snowy Scandinavian setting, its description of festive traditions and believable family interactions this is an ideal read for the Christmas season. Thea’s first person narration enables the reader to see the gradual thawing of the relationships between the characters through her eyes with the added benefit of adult hindsight. The ending suggests authorial embellishment of fact as Thea’s daughter notes that the story seems to change subtly with each year’s retelling. A thoroughly enjoyable novel for the middle years.

A simply lovely, heart warming story about a girl called Thea and the love she finds with a bear. She goes to Norway to spend Christmas with her father and his family but things don’t quite go according to plan and she runs away. She then meets Bear, who also feels very out of place. Lovely story about friendship and not judging others before you get to know them. A truly warm and uplifting story - perfect for this time of year.

I plan to share this review across social media and on Amazon next week (23rd November) as want to take a photo of the ebook with Christmas decorations in the background


Thank you to NetGalley and Simon and Schuster for approving me to read 𝕋ℍ𝔼 𝔾𝕆𝕆𝔻 𝔹𝔼𝔸ℝ by Sarah Lean.
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𝕊𝕥𝕠𝕣𝕚𝕖𝕤 𝕒𝕣𝕖 𝕒𝕝𝕨𝕒𝕪𝕤 𝕒 𝕞𝕚𝕩𝕥𝕦𝕣𝕖 𝕠𝕗 𝕥𝕣𝕦𝕥𝕙 𝕒𝕟𝕕 𝕞𝕒𝕜𝕖-𝕓𝕖𝕝𝕚𝕖𝕧𝕖, 𝕖𝕧𝕖𝕟 𝕨𝕙𝕖𝕟 𝕥𝕙𝕖𝕪 𝕒𝕣𝕖 𝕥𝕣𝕦𝕖
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There are some important themes throughout this book, including family, love and community.
Families come in all shapes and sizes, as depicted by the genetic and inherited family that Thea has (living with her single Mum, and meeting her step family when visiting her Dad) but also her chosen family, which includes her adult friend V who she trusts more than other adults in her life.
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𝕀 𝕝𝕚𝕜𝕖𝕕 𝕙𝕖𝕣 𝕤𝕠 𝕞𝕦𝕔𝕙 𝕒𝕟𝕕 𝕤𝕙𝕖 𝕘𝕒𝕧𝕖 𝕞𝕖 𝕙𝕠𝕡𝕖
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I think a lot of younger readers will empathise with Thea and feel bonded with her. When we are children we all have times where we don't feel our parents understand us or listen to us in the way we need them to, and Lean captured this really well within the story.
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𝕀 𝕥𝕙𝕠𝕦𝕘𝕙𝕥 𝕙𝕖 𝕨𝕠𝕦𝕝𝕕 𝕤𝕙𝕠𝕨 𝕤𝕠𝕞𝕖 𝕔𝕠𝕟𝕔𝕖𝕣𝕟, 𝕙𝕦𝕘 𝕞𝕖, 𝕒𝕟𝕪𝕥𝕙𝕚𝕟𝕘 𝕥𝕠 𝕤𝕙𝕠𝕨 𝕥𝕙𝕒𝕥 𝕀 𝕞𝕖𝕒𝕟𝕥 𝕤𝕠𝕞𝕖𝕥𝕙𝕚𝕟𝕘 𝕥𝕠 𝕙𝕚𝕞. 𝕀 𝕙𝕒𝕕 𝕖𝕧𝕖𝕟 𝕥𝕙𝕠𝕦𝕘𝕙𝕥 𝕙𝕖 𝕞𝕚𝕘𝕙𝕥 𝕓𝕖 𝕡𝕣𝕠𝕦𝕕 𝕥𝕙𝕒𝕥 𝕀 𝕙𝕒𝕕 𝕤𝕥𝕠𝕠𝕕 𝕦𝕡 𝕗𝕠𝕣 𝕨𝕙𝕒𝕥 𝕀 𝕓𝕖𝕝𝕚𝕖𝕧𝕖𝕕 𝕚𝕟. 𝕀 𝕙𝕒𝕕𝕟’𝕥 𝕒𝕟𝕥𝕚𝕔𝕚𝕡𝕒𝕥𝕖𝕕 𝕥𝕙𝕒𝕥 𝕙𝕖 𝕨𝕠𝕦𝕝𝕕𝕟’𝕥 𝕖𝕧𝕖𝕟 𝕓𝕖𝕝𝕚𝕖𝕧𝕖 𝕞𝕖. ‘𝕀 𝕕𝕠𝕟’𝕥 𝕨𝕣𝕚𝕥𝕖 𝕤𝕚𝕝𝕝𝕪 𝕤𝕥𝕠𝕣𝕚𝕖𝕤!’ 𝕀 𝕤𝕒𝕚𝕕, 𝕤𝕥𝕦𝕟𝕘 𝕓𝕪 𝕙𝕚𝕤 𝕨𝕠𝕣𝕕𝕤. ‘𝕀 𝕨𝕣𝕚𝕥𝕖 𝕒𝕓𝕠𝕦𝕥 𝕥𝕙𝕚𝕟𝕘𝕤 𝕥𝕙𝕒𝕥 𝕒𝕣𝕖 𝕚𝕞𝕡𝕠𝕣𝕥𝕒𝕟𝕥 𝕒𝕟𝕕 𝕚𝕟𝕥𝕖𝕣𝕖𝕤𝕥𝕚𝕟𝕘 𝕥𝕠 𝕞𝕖.’
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I also think that Thea has a great character arc for such a young character. Towards the end of the story she recognises that everyone is different, and just because her Dad may be a different character to her and show his love in different ways, it doesn't mean his characteristics or approach is wrong.
She learns a lot and is a lot more open to her Stepmother and family, and recognises that inclusion of differences is important.
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𝕡𝕖𝕣𝕙𝕒𝕡𝕤 𝕀 𝕤𝕙𝕠𝕦𝕝𝕕𝕟’𝕥 𝕙𝕒𝕧𝕖 𝕒𝕤𝕜𝕖𝕕 𝕒𝕟𝕪𝕥𝕙𝕚𝕟𝕘 𝕠𝕗 𝕙𝕚𝕞 𝕥𝕙𝕒𝕥 𝕙𝕖 𝕨𝕒𝕤𝕟’𝕥 𝕨𝕚𝕝𝕝𝕚𝕟𝕘 𝕥𝕠 𝕘𝕚𝕧𝕖
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This was such a sweet story which reinforces the importance of family and togetherness. It would be perfect for sharing with children around Christmas time, especially as part of Jólabókaflóđ.
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𝕚𝕥 𝕚𝕤𝕟’𝕥 𝕥𝕙𝕖 𝕥𝕣𝕒𝕕𝕚𝕥𝕚𝕠𝕟𝕤 𝕥𝕙𝕒𝕥 𝕞𝕒𝕜𝕖 𝕥𝕙𝕖 𝕞𝕒𝕘𝕚𝕔 𝕗𝕠𝕣 𝕥𝕙𝕖𝕞, 𝕚𝕥’𝕤 𝕥𝕙𝕖 𝕥𝕠𝕘𝕖𝕥𝕙𝕖𝕣𝕟𝕖𝕤𝕤

Gorgeous little book. A charming and compelling story, with beautiful relationships and interesting characters at its heart.

The reader, adult or child, is transported to a stunningly beautiful winter setting for this poignant fairytale telling of a child’s encounter with a bear. As the book progresses the reader becomes increasingly involved as Lean successfully uses her characters and their emotional involvement to add depth to the story.
This has a certain magic for the adult reader but would be a delight to read to a child at bedtime or to a class of young children, especially in the lead-up to Christmas.

Thank you to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for this copy in exchange for an honest review.

Thank You To Netgalley And Publishers For Granting My Request To Review This Book.
A Lovely Tale Of Trust And Hope. I Loved The Connections Between The Characters And The Progressions They Made Throughout The Story. I Could Visualise So Easily Where The Scenes Were Set And The Feel The Bears Fur, As It Was Described

The Good Bear would make an excellent Christmas gift for anyone over the age of 9. And I'm sure there'll be many adults who would enjoy this! I loved the complexity of the relationships in this book; it was nice to see that it is not all sweet and nice.

Wonderful book about a young girl who wants to be a writer, who goes to Norway to visit her estranged father and his new family before Christmas. She's cold, grumpy which is refreshing for a heroine, making friends with a local shopkeeper who lends her a typewriter, she begins to adjust. She also meets a bear in the forest who is also cold and hungry, so she begins to take care of him. Through looking after the bear she begins to discover the real meaning of Christmas and that things and people can change if you allow them space, but can she save the bear and persuade everyone he is good? A delightful heartwarming story for any adventurous child that loves animals.

With thanks to Netgalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

The Good Bear is a sweet and charming story about family, and the importance of connection. Thea and her daughter Ursula settle down on Christmas Eve with hot chocolate, and Thea tells her story about when she was a girl visiting her absent father Henry in Norway. Thea was 11, and went to visit Henry and his new family in Norway. At first she feels completely disconnected from her father, and she is overwhelmed with loneliness. She had hoped that her father would have bought her the typewriter she so longed for, but instead she is given snow boots.

But these boots inexplicably lead to a great adventure. A brown bear, captured and mistreated by humans all his life, is roaming wild. Thea happens upon Bear and as she brings him food, they find they have a bond that is magical and healing for them both. And this relationship and the story she writes about him, are to bring her together with her father and his family in a way Thea could never have imagined.

A beautifully written children's story that is magical, perfect for Christmas and The Good Bear is a tale that will uplift and warm the soul.

This isn’t your usual Christmas story but it’s a lovely story set in Norway at Christmas. Thea ‘s Father left her and her mother, and now lives in Norway with his new family. Thea goes to spend Christmas with him in the hope that they can repair their relationship. She struggles to accept the hospitality which is shown to her and escapes to the woods where she meets a bear. When the villagers decide to hunt the bear, Thea sets her differences to one side and ropes in Lars to help her. Can they get to the bear in time to save him?

I struggled to get into this story at first but I am so pleased I stayed with it as I found I couldn’t put it down. A story which reminds us that Christmas is about family and togetherness, not the tinsel and trimmings.

Thea’s Father left Thea and her Mother some time ago and now lives in Norway with a new family. In an attempt to reconnect Father and daughter, Thea spends time over one Christmas with this new family. However her Father is as remote from her even when in the same house as he was when they were in different countries. Thea is missing all the traditions of an English Christmas as this new family don’t seem remotely Christmassy. Having hoped for a present of a typewriter to help fulfil her dreams of becoming a writer, Thea is disappointed to receive a late birthday present of furry boots from her Father, and having stomped off into the snowy woods, loses her temper and flings one into a pile of snow. This disturbs someone sleeping nearby and Thea is horrified to find a huge brown bear rising up to tower over her. She knows enough to stand absolutely still and not run as her instincts tell her. But something strange happens as Thea realises that the bear is more afraid of her than she him. What follows is a tale of bonding between the bear and Thea who feeds the bear and receives the love from him she feels she is not getting from her Father. She does come to realise that different traditions are kept in different families, and that Christmas doesn’t have to mean expensive presents and tinsel. However there is persecution of animals even while Thea is trying to save her bear and the complete disregard for listening to children is of a past time and is slightly jarring today.

The Good Bear by Sarah Lean is a simply charming novel for ages nine years and over. It is perfect to read in the run up to Christmas or indeed for any time of year to swell your heart with love and care.
The novel is magical as you try to work out, could this tale be true? Told on flashbacks to 1978 when the mother telling the tale was twelve years old, the reader becomes completely absorbed in the story.
We all want to be loved and to belong. Animals are no exception. An ill-treated bear and a young girl bond together in search of love. It is beautiful to watch the love develop.
The tale is set in a Norwegian forest just before Christmas. With snow on the ground, it is all very atmospheric as Sarah Lean paints the scene with her words.
I absolutely loved The Good Bear. It is a perfect story for any age and will leave you smiling.
I received this book for free. A favourable review was not required and all views expressed are my own.

I have not previously read any books by Sarah Lean, so I didn’t know what to expect. The cover and description were appealing.

The story is about how Thea goes to stay with her dad and his new family in Norway one Christmas, and things don’t turn out how she would like (and expects) them to. It was far more emotional than I was expecting - I was anticipating a relatively light hearted Christmas story. However, Thea’s interactions with the bear were enchanting, and the story well told. I thought that Thea’s reaction to her family was realistic, and I enjoyed the way she began to make friends with Lars. The book is well written, it makes you really feel for Thea.

I found the parts at the beginning and end, where Thea is talking to her daughter a little clunky, but I can see that they would be really enjoyable for some readers.

Overall, this was a well written, enchanting story. It was just too emotional for my taste.

I was given a free copy of this book, my opinions are my own.

What a wonderful wintery story!
This book follows young Thea who dreams of becoming a writer someday and wants nothing more than a typewriter, which is very expensive.
When she is asked by her father to spend the winter holidays with him and his (new) family abroad, she agrees reluctantly, believing him to be giving him a typewriter as Christmas present.
As she goes to Norway, however, nothing is like she thinks it's going to be. Her father Henry is always preoccupied with himself and his woodwork, his wife doesn't seem too nice and the kids are also not the friendliest.
Then Thea meets a bear in the woods who not only seems to be friendly but seems to understand her. He quickly becomes Thea's best friend and when people start hunting for the bear, it's Thea's task to keep him safe.
I absolutely adored this story - I loved the development of Thea's relationship with Henry and his extended family and I loved how Thea slowly began thawing toward them and becoming friends with them. The shop owner V was also such a vibrant lady and of course my favorite character was the Bear whom Thea feeds throughout the story and becomes friends with.
Though the ending was a bit sad it also felt authentic to the story and its progression and I liked how the last chapter kind of tied everything about Thea and her desire to become a writer together. The last sentence, especially, made me rethink the book on multiple levels and will make people think about fate having all the power over us humans.

A wonderful tale to share with your loved ones around the winter time!