CCBC booklist are compiled from books we have recommended in various editions of CCBC Choices. Most of these booklists are updated annually. You can also select books from one or more booklists to create a custom list, which can also include additional books from the CCBC-Recommended Book Search.
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A Bear Far from Home
CCBC Review:
In the mid-13th century, Haakon IV, the king of Norway, gave Henry III, the king of England, a white bear, which was sent to live at the Tower of London. A muzzle, iron chain, and “long, strong cord” were purchased to tether the live bear near the river and allow it to fish. Those are the facts—shared in an author’s note—that form the foundation of this artful and moving picture book that speculates on details not revealed by historical documents. The bear—here a female polar bear—is shown as a cub with her mother, learning to survive in the wild. “Imagine how the world must have seemed to her—white-bright and dazzling.” After being caught by trappers, she spends a caged journey on the deck of a ship to England and remains caged—part of a menagerie of unusual animals given to the king—until he orders the muzzle, the chain, and the “long, strong chord” so she can fish in the river. “And for a while, in this faraway land, she finds home.” Use of words like “imagine” and “perhaps” in the primary narrative help readers cue into the conjecture, although the author’s note is essential for a full picture of how this account hangs on a small framework of known facts. Gorgeous acrylic, gouache, and colored pencil illustrations with decorative elements reminiscent of medieval book design further enhance this arresting volume. ©2022 Cooperative Children’s Book Center
Illustrated by Rebecca Green
CCBC Age Recommendation: Ages 6-10
Age Range:
PreK-Early Elementary (Ages 4-7)
Grades 3-5 (Ages 8-10)
Format:
Picture book
Subjects:
13th Century
Animals (Informational)
History (Nonfiction)
On CCBC Booklists:
Between Fact and Fiction: Selected Picture Books to Encourage Critical Reading/Thinking
Picture Books for Older Children and Teens: Never Too Old
Publishers:
Random House, Anne Schwartz Book
Publish Year: 2022
Pages: 32
ISBN: 9780593181898
CCBC Location: Picture Book, Fletcher
Can’t find what you’re looking for? Our Recommended Book Search includes access to CCBC-recommended titles based on subject headings created by our staff.
Please send questions or comments about CCBC booklists to ccbcinfo@education.wisc.edu.