Finding Bear: An irresistible animal adventure – the unmissable follow-up to the award-winning THE LAST BEAR

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I'll be waiting eagerly for the book to be published in September, when I will eagerly be grabbing myself a physical copy and having a look at the illustrations in the book, which will no doubt be stunning! Her writing is perfect for teaching children about climate change, she doesn't hold back in terms of informing children of the terrible effects but everything is done in a sensitive way and they help encourage the younger generation to get involved in activism and be kinder to animals in general.

I was at my last school for 4 years and we had ********* book fairs every term – and every term, I was disappointed by the narrow range of books. 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. Thought the author explored really well the changing relationship between April and her dad and drew parallels in the story which were brilliantly woven. Full of action and danger, this book had me tense and hopeful that everything was going to turn out all right. So begins an amazing story of discovery and survival as she battles the elements in the forbidding Arctic environment.After reading Impossible Creatures I was in the mood for a children's book, and the cold weather inspired me to pick up the follow up to Hannah's beautiful debut 'The Last 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. I thoroughly enjoyed Hannah Gold's first book in this series - Finding Bear - and was more than excited when I heard there would be a sequel.

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. She is left to overcome the dangerous Arctic terrain and face her deepest fears if she is to save the Cub and protect Bear. Determined to find him and ensure that he is alright, she persuades her father to take her back to the Arctic circle, where the three of them embark on an quest to find Bear. Bronnie is so lovely with the boys and we also felt that having a man enthusing about the books set a great example.There are difficult moments here presented with compassion and sensitivity but I won’t spoil the story by saying more except that this reader who is around half a century older than the target audience was reduced to a sobbing wreck in more than one occasion. April’s determination to find Bear is palpable and at times she probably crosses the line of disregarding advice but her courage and commitment to save Bear takes her on a series of adventures - each showing the impact on global warming on the plight of polar bears. Once again we follow April as she still struggles to settle in at school and adjust to her old life without her big cuddly friend.