Sea Bear: A Journey for Survival

K-Gr 2--A patient polar bear journeys through Arctic waters seeking land. It is springtime and warmer temperatures have caused the ice to break into isle-like patches in the ocean. The bear's odyssey is daring, the thin ice makes hunting challenging and fatigue eventually starts to set in. Moore, who studied marine biology and medical and scientific illustration, subtly demonstrates the impact of global warming on polar bears in this debut. In the illustrations--done with graphite, watercolor, drawing inks, conte crayon, and color pencils--Moore combines layers of different blues to contrast with the white ice and the white bear, which smartly emphasizes the solitude of the creature and its predicament. Along with the expressive art, the first-person narrative will help readers connect with the bear and the other creatures it encounters in the book, including star-skinned narwhals, walruses, seals, and a whale. This title would work well for lessons on climate change, a science unit on Arctic animals, and as a companion to Lily Williams's If Polar Bears Disappeared. VERDICT An artful and expressive take on the effects of global warming--and a timely addition to picture book nonfiction collections.--Kathia Ibacache, Simi Valley Public Library, CA

Copyright 2018 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

"In Moore's blue-saturated illustrations, ice, sky, and sea dominate. . . . The text presents the voice of the bear in the first person, somber and serious . . . with refrains that capture the experiences of her species: "Polar bears are patient beasts, as patient as glaciers. We know how to hope and how to wait." At the close of the book, the message takes on both a hopeful and urgent tone."—The Horn Book