The Last Bear: Winner of the Blue Peter Award – ‘A dazzling debut’ THE TIMES

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The illustrations for this book are absolutely mind blowing and they are an absolute pleasure to feast your eyes upon. They are so life like and bring Hannah’s writing to life. April’s father takes her with him to an Arctic Outpost for six months while he does work with weather stuff. April and her father aren’t as close after her mother died years ago

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…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. in Schools Catalogue 2023–24, 1483 in Education Catalogue 2023–24 and 572 in UK Primary September 2023 Format Characters like April's are exactly why I love reading Middle Grade stories so much. She was fierce and feisty, independent, and idealistic. Her attitude resulted in more than one spot of trouble she found herself in, but it also ensured she got herself out of it, as well. Hannah's writing is full of poetry and emotion. Whilst Bear is wild, April is caught between sensibility and the special gift she has with being attuned to nature; it is this that allows her to communicate with Bear throughout. This connection between reality and the magical wildness of the landscape and Bear was something I enjoyed and there were times when I wondered, like April's father, whether Bear was real or not. All of which is heightened by Levi Pinfold's outstanding illustrations throughout. If you’re looking for a really sweet middle grade to dive into, for yourself or for a younger person in your life, this book was really beautiful. From the actual story itself to the illustrations that accompanied it, I really enjoyed this one.

The chapters were a desirable length, and kept a good pace, which I believe will help readers to stay engaged. Her father proved just as lovable, if less immediately likable. His growth across the novel was a lovely one to witness, and also ensured this different from the usual main character's arc witnessed in other similar stories I have read. This remained such an important and emotional story, throughout. My heart broke along with April's at the plastic-strewn shorelines, diminishing species, and disappearing ice caps this featured. The polar bear that appeared upon one of April's adventures ensured this was not a wholly traumatic and sorrowful read, however. I can imagine it providing a whimsical yet educational reading experience for its target audience, as it appealed to this grown-up reader in a very similar way. Since April's mother died, her father has grown ever-distant - throwing himself into his work. So when an opportunity arises for them both to work on the remote Bear Island within the Arctic Circle, April and Dad, both recognise great potential in the trip even if their goals are different. Whilst April hopes that the solitude might bring them closer together, her father sees this as an even greater opportunity to become lost in research. With no one to really talk to or be with, April tours the island only to find it has another resident - a lost, neglected polar bear.For me, there were strong connections to Anthony Browne's Gorilla. A girl, ignored, largely by her father, finds love and solace in a male replacement in the form of an animal. The difference being here that the animal needs saving and taking to a new place. The bear as a foil for her own father would make for an interesting comparison too.

I loved the messages within this book, and I think if young minds read this, it will really open their eyes to the world and inspire them to want to help the planet. I think in using this friendship between April and Bear, we can understand more the impact we are having on this planet. I truly think, in the right hands, this book will do so much for the next generation in making this world a better place. A gentle yet potent debut that champions conservation whilst touching upon loss and healing at the same time. Imagine making friends with a polar bear… The Last Bear is perfect for readers of 8+, beautifully illustrated throughout by Levi Pinfold

Reviews

This book follows April who joins her father to Bear Island in the Atlantic circle. With it just being them two on the island for six months, April goes exploring and comes across a stranded polar bear. She strikes up a friendship with this polar bear as it also explores various themes such as grief, climate change and protecting our planet and animals. 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