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Finding Bear

Book Synopsis

The unmissable follow-up to the phenomenal bestselling and award-winning The Last Bear. Beautifully illustrated by Levi Pinfold and perfect for readers 8+

April Wood has returned home from her adventure on Bear Island, but over a year later, she can’t stop thinking about Bear.

When April hears that a polar bear has been shot and injured in Svalbard, she’s convinced it’s her friend and persuades her dad to travel with her to the northernmost reaches of the Arctic. So begins an unforgettable journey across frozen tundra and icy glaciers.

But along the way, she discovers much more than she bargained for – a tiny polar bear cub, desperately in need of her help. In freezing temperatures, April must navigate the dangerous Arctic terrain and face her deepest fears if she’s to save him.

Beautifully illustrated by Levi Pinfold, Finding Bear is a stunning story of survival, a heartwarming tale of love and shows us how hope is born from the smallest of beginnings.

Our Review Panel says...

This is the beautiful sequel to the widely acclaimed ‘The Last Bear’ by Hannah Gold.

Brave and impetuous, April Wood is drawn back to the Arctic in search of Bear, who she is sure is calling her to return. The magical bond between girl and bear taps into every child’s dream, but Gold also explores themes of grief and loss, and what it means to love enough to let go. Friendship, courage, family bonds and the importance of not judging people on first impressions are also themes powerfully explored in the book.

The narrative is clear about the negative impact of climate change on wildlife in the Arctic – in particular, there is a resonating scene in which April finds a polar bear who has died of starvation. The greatest impact of the book however is that it leaves you with a sense of the incredible natural beauty of the Arctic – as Abi Elphinstone says, it is ‘utterly transporting’ – and the importance of doing all we can to preserve it. April is a fierce advocate for the wildlife of the Arctic. Her voice speaks out strongly in anger over the impacts of climate change, yet the book ends with hope as she realises the power of leading with her heart and her passion on display to inspire others.

Beautiful and moving, Hannah Gold has again produced a treasure of a story not to be missed.