About the Book:
The polar bear is a royal bear, a gift from the King of Norway to the King of England. The first time Arthur encounters the bear, he is shoved in her cage as payback for stealing food. Restless and deadly, the bear terrifies him. Yet, strangely, she doesn’t harm him—though she has attacked anyone else who comes near. That makes Arthur valuable to the doctor in charge of getting the bear safely to London. So Arthur, who has run away from home, finds himself taking care of a polar bear on a ship to England.
Tasked with feeding and cleaning up after the bear, Arthur’s fears slowly lessen as he begins to feel a connection to this bear, who like him, has been cut off from her family. But the journey holds many dangers, and Arthur knows his own freedom—perhaps even his life—depends on keeping the bear from harm. When pirates attack and the ship founders, Arthur must make a choice—does he do everything he can to save himself, or does he help the bear to find freedom?
Tasked with feeding and cleaning up after the bear, Arthur’s fears slowly lessen as he begins to feel a connection to this bear, who like him, has been cut off from her family. But the journey holds many dangers, and Arthur knows his own freedom—perhaps even his life—depends on keeping the bear from harm. When pirates attack and the ship founders, Arthur must make a choice—does he do everything he can to save himself, or does he help the bear to find freedom?
My Thoughts: I really like this book. I felt so terrible for the bear. I loved the friendship between the bear and Arthur. I love how Arthur found his courage, his footing, and his sense of purpose. I like that he created a life for himself because his home life wasn't great. I enjoyed his interactions with the King. As a person of Welsh descent, I enjoyed the mentions of Wales and the use of the Welsh language. A tale that will tug at your heartstrings and make your heart race with the action.
About the Author:
SUSAN FLETCHER is the acclaimed author of the Dragon Chronicles as well as the award-winning Alphabet of Dreams, Shadow Spinner, Walk Across the Sea, and Falcon in the Glass. Ms. Fletcher lives in Bryan, Texas. To read about the fascinating story behind the inspiration for Journey of the Pale Bear, visit her website, SusanFletcher.com
Praise for Journey of the Pale Bear
★"A stupendous coming-of-age tale stuffed with adventure and laced with deeper questions."
— Kirkus Reviews (starred review)
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The wild animal I most would want to interact with is a wild pony like the ones on Chincoteague Island.
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