Secrets of Bearhaven

felicisowl - Meet twelve-year-old Spencer Plain, who has been surrounded by bears all his life (not literally), because of his traveling bear activist parents. What he didn't know was that his parents (along with his Uncle Mark) created a safe haven for all bears called 'Bearhaven' after seeing how cruelly the bears were treated. Suddenly, on a normal school day, his uncle Mark tells Spencer that he needs to take Spencer to somewhere safe and that his parents can't be contacted, and that they are missing. After arriving at Bearhaven, Spencer discovers the technology is there is almost as advanced - if not more - than the humans, especially the BEAR-COMs, which translate Ragayo (the bears' language) to English. But when he sneaks into the secret lab meeting and hears about their plan to rescue an abducted bear, Ro Ro, and her cubs, and maybe save his parents on the way, Spencer is determined to go along on the mission. Unfortunately, the adult bears and Mark have other plans for him, and that's to stay safe in Bearhaven. With the help with Kate Dora Weaver, a young bear cub, he learns the skills needed to go on a rescue mission - Rescue Ragayo, Boulder Moving, Bear Stealth, and more. But when the bears still say "no", Spencer takes things into his own hands.. But when he arrives at the mission, he realizes that he will have to use every ounce of energy and wit he has left to save the bears - or leave the bears and himself (after he gets into a horrible mess, encountering some of Bearhaven's worst enemies, who will do anything to know the location of his parents and the secrets of Bearhaven) to suffer a horrible fate. First of all, I loved how this book was so far from reality (or maybe not?) It was a tangled world of inventions and it intrigued me every time I delved further into solving the mysteries of this world. But I also hated how far from reality it was - I mean, all fantasy books need a "touch" of reality, something that can root the story into the ground. Spencer - while I did like his determination and a lot of his admirable qualities - I felt like he had no flaws. I knew Spencer would always come out in the end, victorious, no matter how many obstacles were thrown at him. The book was also predictable - when Uncle Mark mentioned a female operative, I immediately suspected it was Evarita, Spencer's nanny or babysitter, and I was right - and I was able to predict most things correctly, unless the plot twist diverted too much from the plot. But I was able to enter a state of mind where I was interested enough to continue in one sitting, and this book kept me on my toes - I couldn't resist turning the page. I had suspicions in the beginning, but though the middle and ending were flawed, they were thick with complexity and mystery that intrigued me. I recommend this book to everyone who has ever thought they could do something great but was discouraged by adults, I recommend this book to everyone who likes animal books, and I recommend this book to everyone who just wants a great adventure. All in all, Bearhaven was a well-written book that was exciting, full of action, and complex, but it lacked several things and had flaws..

November 1, 2015
When Spencer's parents go missing, he's tossed into a conspiracy of bear-abuse networks and talking bears. Spencer's mom and dad run a foundation that sends them on missions to rescue abused bears. Suddenly, his uncle Mark pulls him out of school (and into a car chase) because they've gone missing. Mark sends Spencer alone into the forest, where a good friend will be waiting to help him--but it's a bear with a translator that allows him to communicate with Mark. The translators were developed by Professor Weaver, whom Mark's parents met while in college, and a bear (hilariously) also named Professor Weaver. At secret, high-tech Bearhaven, all bears wear translators and live normal, humanlike lives with school, video games, a restaurant, and even water aerobics. Spencer stays with (bear) Professor Weaver's family, befriends Kate the cub, and learns about the bear-abuse networks. These revolve around bear baying, brutally described, in which dogs attack chained and often declawed and defanged bears. He also learns about his parents' nemeses: their college's former live-mascot handler and her brother. The football helmet-wearing muscle of their team, the brother is also possibly developmentally delayed, a condition that's distressingly played for laughs. When preparation fails to win Spencer a spot on a rescue mission, he turns to stealth. The ending sets up the next in the series. While the story is not remotely realistic, it finds strength in silliness and periodic action sequences. (Fantasy. 8-11)

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October 1, 2015

Gr 4-7-Fans of Erin Hunter's "Seekers" series (HarperCollins) and Hoot by Carl Hiaasen (Knopf, 2002) looking for a new series will enjoy this animal adventure novel. Spencer's parents are bear activists; they are constantly working to save the creatures from human-made and environmental danger. Spencer doesn't know how important the bears are until his father is kidnapped. To keep Spencer safe, his uncle takes him out of school and rushes him to a secret sanctuary in the woods called Bearhaven, a place complete with its own set of politics. The bears even have a special device that translates "bear speech" into English. Once Spencer arrives, a plan to rescue his father is formed. The action reaches an exciting climax with this daring rescue attempt, which, in conjunction with short chapters and the fast-paced plot, will have readers breathlessly turning pages. Although talking animal books are far from unusual, Rocha adds a unique spin to the genre in the creation of the fantastical Bearhaven. The ending sets up for a sequel. VERDICT A solid purchase for fans of animal adventure stories and eco-mysteries, this work will also appeal to reluctant readers.-Patrick Tierney, Dr. Martin Luther King Elementary School, Providence, RI

Copyright 2015 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

December 15, 2015
Grades 4-7 In this fast-paced sci-fi mystery, two bear-rights activists disappear, and their 11-year-old son, Spencer, sets out to find them. The action never flags: a high-speed chase ends with Spencer jumping out of a moving vehicle and taking refuge in the woods to avoid capture. There he's met by a talking bear who escorts him to Bearhaven, a sanctuary populated by a friendly bear family who say they were rescued by his parents. After the initial shock of being able to communicate with bears via implanted translators wears off, Spencer befriends Kate, a young bear cub. These bears are determined to help rescue others who are being used in brutal bear-baying competitions, where a bear is pitted against a team of dogs. Despite the implausibility of bears that talk, play video games, train as guards, and go to school, this is a fun, exciting series start with creepy villains and a boy hero who outthinks and outwits the adults, conquering his fears in the process.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2015, American Library Association.)