A Bear Named Trouble

May 1, 2005
Gr 3-6 -Bauer creates a fictionalized account of a real Alaska brown bear's early life, told from his perspective (in italics) and that of a 10-year-old boy. A young, injured bear breaks into Anchorage's Alaska Zoo one night. He has become acclimated somewhat to humans and is therefore considered a nuisance and is a candidate for termination. The zookeeper's son, Jonathan, witnesses Trouble killing a beautiful goose, one of the zoo's main attractions for children. Now, he must grapple with his sadness at the loss of his favorite animal, his anger at Trouble, and his understandings of wild animals and their instinctive behaviors. Jonathan comes to realize that the bear is only guilty of being a bear, and he stages a heroic effort to spare his life. In the epilogue, readers learn that Trouble is currently living at the zoo in Duluth, MN. With a strong plot, well-developed characters, and an engaging writing format, this book is a great choice for young readers." -Laurel L. Iakovakis, Douglas County Libraries, Castle Rock, CO"

Copyright 2005 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

April 15, 2005
Gr. 3-6. The author of " Runt" (2002) offers another story of animals in the wild, this one based on true events. Ten-year-old Jonathan and his father have relocated to Anchorage, where Dad is the new zookeeper. Jonathan, who has a great affinity for animals, has developed the ability to imagine himself inside their bodies, seeing and feeling as they do. He is drawn to a wild brown bear cub, luring it with food and then following as it digs its way into the zoo and, inadvertently, kills Mother Goose, a popular zoo animal. Told from the alternating perspectives of Jonathan and the cub, the tale explores the need for companionship and the importance of accepting the consequences of one's actions. Although it seems odd that Jonathan is not more afraid of the bear, Bauer's characters are well drawn, and the story will have great appeal for young animal lovers. Pair it with Daniel Pennac's " Eye of the Wolf "(2003), another novel about close child-animal connections.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2005, American Library Association.)