The Last Bear
by Hannah Gold
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Pub Date 18 Feb 2021 | Archive Date 20 Mar 2021
HarperCollins UK, Children's | HarperCollinsChildren’sBooks
Description
Imagine making friends with a polar bear… The Last Bear is perfect for readers of 8+, beautifully illustrated throughout by Levi Pinfold – winner of the Kate Greenaway Medal and illustrator of Harry Potter 20th anniversary edition covers.
WINNER OF THE 2022 BLUE PETER BOOK AWARD
WINNER OF THE 2022 WATERSTONES CHILDREN’S BOOK PRIZE
SHORTLISTED FOR CHILDREN’S FICTION BOOK OF THE YEAR AT THE BRITISH BOOK AWARDS 2022
SHORTLISTED FOR THE INDIE BOOK AWARDS 2022
“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.
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…
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.
‘A dazzling debut . . . A magical, confidently told story – with beautiful illustrations by Levi Pinfold . . . I predict a roaring success’ The Times
Available Editions
EDITION | Ebook |
ISBN | 9780008411299 |
PRICE | £2.99 (GBP) |
PAGES | 288 |
Featured Reviews
The Last Bear is truly something special. It is a story about living from your heart and recognising your place in the world. It is a story of learning to communicate and sharing your soul with others. It is a story of strength, compassion and responsibility. Most of all, it is a story of love.
Following the loss of her mum, it’s just eleven-year-old April and her dad, an environmental scientist who specialises in climate change. Focussed on his work and heart-broken over the death of the love of his life, he is often distant and out of touch with what April needs. One day, they are given the opportunity to live inside the Arctic Circle on an isolated island. Even though she has been told there are no polar bears left on Bear Island because the surrounding ice caps have melted, April is sure she sees one and the adventure of a lifetime begins.
The Last Bear is overflowing with raw emotion and the desire to be heard. April longs to find a voice for herself but also for her precious earth which is being destroyed. Bear becomes a beautiful symbol of the condition of the natural world. His roars of anger, sad contemplation, longing, and a joyful heart, full of love speak for a planet in need. The messages of conservation, connections, relationships and change are so clear and sure to inspire every reader.
I can’t wait to share this beautiful book with my own children and the children I teach. It is one of the best, most important books I have read this year and a powerful story that will stay with me for a very long time.
Thank you to Hannah Gold and Harper Collins Children’s for this incredible book!