A great sequel to The Lost Bear!

I know all children who loved the first book will love meeting Peanut and April’s new mission to save him!

April Wood has found settling back into normality hard since she left Bear and her life changing experience behind. She simply can’t stop thinking about him and still feels their connection acutely despite the miles that separate them. Regular updates from friends help but nothing really fills the bear shaped hole in her heart. An unusually late email leads April to believe that something is wrong and her worst fears are confirmed when she learns that a polar bear has been shot and injured. April can almost hear Bear roaring to her, and she is convinced that he needs her help. Despite her near-death experience during her last encounter with Bear, she somehow persuades her dad to return to the artic to find him and so an epic journey begins. April soon discovers that the journey offers far more challenges than she had anticipated and that she must demonstrate courage and survival techniques in the toughest of circumstances and thaw the hearts and minds of some new companions too. When she is finally reunited with Bear, she discovers that he is not alone and sees first-hand the consequences of her keenly felt environmental concerns. Determined that tragedy will not strike again, April must continue with her mission and face her fears head on in order to succeed. A brilliant sequel and an enthralling read. Bear and Hannah Gold are most definitely back!

Finding Bear
By Hannah Gold
Published by HarperCollins Publishers

Another fabulous Arctic adventure from Hannah Gold. This follow-up to the bestselling and award-winning The Last Bear takes us back to Svalbard where it all began. Full of twists and turns, this story of April and Bear will keep you captivated til the end.

April Wood returns from her adventure on Bear Island, but can’t stop thinking about Bear. Her special polar bear friend and life saver.
So when she hears that a polar bear has been shot and injured in Svalbard, she’s convinced it’s Bear and persuades her dad to travel with her to the northernmost reaches of the Arctic to find out the truth.

But in Svalbard, April discovers more than she bargained for – a baby polar bear cub, desperately in need of help. So begins another unforgettable journey across frozen tundra, through glaciers and over dangerous Arctic terrain. April fears nothing when she has Bear by her side, but this cannot always be the way.

Beautifully illustrated by Levi Pinfold and perfect for readers 8+, Finding Bear is another stunning story of love, survival and hope. This passionately written story reminds us how change can be made if we are strong, determined and committed. It then questions how far we are prepared to go to protect nature and what really matters.

Joanne Bardgett - teacher of littlies, lover of Children’s literature.

#Netgalley
#HarperCollinsPublishing

I wasn't expecting The Last Bear to get a sequel, but look what's here! Finding Bear is the follow up to April's first journey to the arctic. In this book, she follows Bear's call and has to help save his cub.

As always with Hannah Gold's books, this one was full of heart and bravery, and I loved it a lot. I didn't enjoy it as much as The Last Bear, admittedly, but I had the best time following April around the arctic again.

I got super emotional at some points, especially when April was talking about climate change and how we can try to help the wildlife being impacted by human mistakes. It's a topic that I'm very passionate about, and I always love when books include it in the narrative.

Overall, Finding Bear is a lovely follow up to an already great story. You won't regret picking it up!

An amazing sequel but i don't think you need to have read the first to thoroughly enjoy this story. April hears and feels the call of Bear from the Arctic and knows he needs her help. She has been unhappy at home, having no real friends at school and becoming increasingly frustrated at the apathy shown about animal protection and climate change.
A really powerful story highlighting the effects of climate change and how animals such as Bear are in danger. April has to find her own way across the frozen wasteland to make Bear's cub safe and finds help coming from someone she least expects. No spoilers but the ending is just perfect.

Oh. My. Goodness.

Firstly, a huge thank you to NetGalley and Harper Collins for letting me read this!

I’m not even sure where to start - I’m not sure that saying it is a truly beautiful book is doing it justice, the language is stunning? The imagery beautiful - it transports you to one of the most special places on our planet and brings hope, love and friendship.

The ending was perfect!

One of my favourite things about reading children's books is that they contain a form of magic that you just don't get in books aimed at older readers. Hannah Gold masters this magic perfectly, throwing us back into the incredible world of April and Bear and making me feel like I was finally home.

I absolutely adored The Last Bear, and I was overjoyed when Finding Bear matched the energy and love of the first book and I was welcomed back into the story as if I had never left. Once again we follow April as she still struggles to settle in at school and adjust to her old life without her big cuddly friend. But when she dreams that Bear is calling for her and receives some bad news, she knows something is wrong and does everything she can to get back to the Arctic - back to Bear.

I was on the edge of my seat! Full of action and danger, this book had me tense and hopeful that everything was going to turn out all right. April and her Dad make a fantastic team and although they have their differences, it was nice to see how they interact with each other as the book progresses. Some big changes have happened in April's life and her character progression as she learned to deal with and accept these changes was lovely to see.

This story is also full of awareness and messages for children to take away about the effects of climate change and how even doing the smallest things can help more than you would expect. With global warming and similar issues being so prominent these days, I love that Finding Bear had so much information about it and how April always found ways to make a difference, no matter how small.

I'll be waiting eagerly for the book to be published in September, when I will eagerly be grabbing myself a physical copy and having a look at the illustrations in the book, which will no doubt be stunning!

A big thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!

I absolutely devoured this book.

Following the adventures of April and Bear, who we met in Hannah Golds first story, we catch up with April as she travels back to the Arctic to try and find her beloved Bear.

A divine, glorious tale of love, adventure and risk. This will delight you, educate you and pull at your heart strings.

Fantastic.

I really wanted to love this book as I enjoyed the first one so much. I just found it all a little unbelievable, something that didn't cross my mind at all in the first one.
I like the characters and the message of climate change and looking after the planet remain so important. It just left me feeling underwhelmed.

I've been eagerly anticipating this one after falling in love with the original story of April and Bear. Once more, Hannah Gold transported me back to the snowy world of the Arctic as I travelled with April who was desperately seeking Bear. Supported by the steadfast Tor and the prickly Hedda, April soon found herself in the middle of a new adventure. The more the tension built, the faster I read as I had to know what happened to April, Bear and the other key characters. Central to the entire book is the unique relationship that April has with Bear. Through her outpourings of emotion, there is so much that the reader will be able to relate to from loss to not fitting in to jealousy and overwhelming, heart-bursting happiness.
The rich description means I never need to travel to the Arctic to experience the coldness and bleakness for myself as the imagery is so clear. Entwined with this is the fundamental message about climate change and how much damage is being done to the world and the animals which inhabit it alongside us.
I can't wait to share this with my children as I am sure they will fall back in love with the characters of April and Bear.

I was lucky enough to finish reading 'The Last Bear' around the time Hannah announced that 'Finding Bear' was due to be released, so I was thrilled!

What an adventure Hannah takes you on with April, Bear, Tor and a few new characters.

April's new life on her return from Svalbard is nothing April wants it to be, she feels called to return to Svalbard. Bear is calling to her and and email from Tor with possible news about him compells April to act and to act fast!

What awaits April, and her dad, is far more than April could have imagined - will she find Bear in time to help him when she feels he needs her? Once again there are dangerous adventures to be had in order to protect Bear, she needs to be brave and courageous but even with help from a surprising allie, will it be enough?

The Lost Bear stole a piece of my heart, and Finding Bear has stolen another piece - Hannah has a magical way with words, of telling stories of enduring friendships and of raising awareness about what part we play in changing the world we live in.

Finding Bear has been pre-ordered so that I can enjoy it all over again (hopefully with less tears!) and will be able to enjoy Levi Penfold's illustrations.

I had previously read The Last Bear in a quest to find something fantastic for my class to enjoy (I am a primary school teacher) that was both rich in vocabulary and content. The children LOVED it so much, as did I, so I was ecstatic to see that there was another book being released.

This book was magnificent. Hannah Gold is a literary genius & the way she uses words to transport her readers to the Arctic is wonderful. This book PULLED on my heartstrings & explored topics that children may experience themselves, such as the loss of loved ones & attachment, all of which were developed throughout the novel.

My heart absolutely burst reading this. It was divine.

The Last Bear was such an amazing book (one that i ended up buying copies to send to friends and lending to family), so I was very excited to see that there was a sequel coming out!
Another little masterpiece in this book! It's heartwarming, heartbreaking & magical.
Though perhaps it didn't hit me as hard as the first book, there was a lot to this story and the relationship between April and Bear was as strong as ever.
I definitely recommend reading the Last Bear first, as it provides a lot of context for this book and the relationships in it (especially between April and Bear).
Overall, an excellent read, you wont be disappointed!

I have been looking forward to reading this sequel since discovering The Lost Bear earlier in the year.

I love how the story develops April’s character and shows the challenges she has faced since returning from her first adventure. Whilst she matures throughout the story, her love for Bear and the world she lives in, is unwavering.

The adventure April embarks upon is even more exciting than the first, and is told in such an incredible way. I can’t imagine many of us will ever visit the Arctic, but the story really brings home the impact that our everyday actions are having on the world we live in.

For a story set in such icy climes, it warmed my heart through and through!

Hannah Gold has done it again! I whipped through this book in a day as I just couldn't wait to find our what was next for April and Bear. The writing was exquisite in terms of vocabulary and technical sentences and I can't wait to purchase a copy when it is released as I know the illustrations by Levi Pinfold will take it to a whole new level. I can't wait for children in my class to read what's next for April and Bear.

Having read The Last Bear with our Year 4 class, I was excited to see that there was a second book coming out about Bear and April's story. Reading the Last Bear made me feel sad but also hopeful and this book did the same. It vividly paints a picture of a changing Artic and at times is hard hitting in it's message that humans need to do better. Through April, Hannah Gold really emphasises that sometimes the enormity of the climate change crisis can make you feel small and hopeless, but it's important to keep trying to make what ever changes you can to save the world. I will definitely be adding this book to our class library.

How beautiful to return to Svalbard with April as she tries to find Bear again. Just as tenderly written as The Last Bear, Finding Bear gives you joyful surprises with the introduction of some wonderful new characters and many hold-your-breath moments.

Central to the whole story is April's relationship with Bear and her acute observations and awareness of the effects of climate change on the natural world and her unlikely friend. As a character, April is an inspiration with her determination to right mankind's wrongs against nature.

Hannah's vivid writing takes you right there to the cold and snowy tundra of the Arctic and you feel every emotion April feels throughout her journey. Wholeheartedly recommend you take the trip (maybe don't fly it) to Svalbard with April.

Another masterpiece by Hannah Gold. Atmospheric, moving and makes me hopeful for a better world. April and Bear’s friendship is a beautiful thing that can speak to everyone about how we can look after our world. I couldn’t put this book down and would recommend anyone of any age to read it.

I read The Last Bear last year, loved it and recommended it to pupils in my class. They loved it and we have since bought six copies for group reading in class. I was so excited to hear about the publication of a sequel and requested it on Netgalley as I was impatient to wait for it and wanted to let my pupils know my thoughts on it. I loved it and I'm sure they will too.
There's even more action from the start in this book which children tend to enjoy as it hooks them in quicker. Climate change is the overarching topic and this book would work really well when covering this as a topic with links to the effects in different parts of the world and the effects on different species of animals. I loved the focus on the amazing bonds that can exist between humans and animals and the positive impact that they can have on your wellbeing. Also, April is an important figure to let children know that they can stand up and make a difference no matter how young they are (and thus could be linked to research on young climate change activists such as Great Thunberg).
In addition to this it also deals with family themes such as grief at the loss of a parent and feelings experienced by the introduction of a new partner for the remaining parent. Some children will identify with this experience and for others it will help them to empathise with those going through it. I felt the book dealt with this theme in a very sensitive and helpful way.
In conclusion, a gripping, heartwarming, uplifting tale with so much scope for use in the classroom. If you're a teacher buy a copy as soon as it's available! I will be!

This is the second instalment in The Last Bear series.

April Wood had an unforgettable adventure on Bear Island but has now returned to the monotony of home in Britain. She struggles with her peers, with school, and being apart from her furry best friend. When news reaches her that a bear has been shot near Svalbard, April is sure that it is her bear and will not let anything, not even the many miles between them, stop her from saving him.

Just like the first series instalment, this proved to be such an inspiring and heart-warming story. April's care for the planet and the creatures who roam across it are inspirational for readers of all ages and her bravery in facing head-on all that she encounters make her a resilient and loveable protagonist. I loved venturing with her across the ice and meeting again beloved characters from book one.