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My Great Bear Rainforest #2
A Bear's Life
Black bears, grizzly bears, and spirit bears all make their home in the Great Bear Rainforest. A Bear's Life uses Ian McAllister's stunning photographs to follow these beautiful animals through a year in the British Columbia wilderness--catching fish, eating berries, climbing trees and taking long naps.
A Bear's Life is the second in the My Great Bear Rainforest series.
A Bear's Life is the second in the My Great Bear Rainforest series.
34 pages, Hardcover
Published August 22, 2017
About the author
Ian McAllister
67 books26 followersBorn in Vancouver, Ian McAllister has become a leading Canadian advocate for coastal rainforest and marine wildlife protection. An award-winning author and photographer he is the founder of the wildlife conservation group Pacific Wild. He has spent the last twenty years documenting large carnivores that inhabit the rugged north coast of British Columbia. His research has been featured in many international television documentaries, films, magazines and other publications.
He is the author of four books on the carnivores of the BC coast and has been the recipient of a number of awards including the (NANPA) North American Nature Photographers Vision Award, along with his wife, Karen McAllister, he was named one of the "leaders for the 21st Century" by Time magazine. He is a member of the International League of Conservation Photographers (iLCP) and lives with his family on the central coast of British Columbia in Heiltsuk First Nation territory. His current work focuses on the predator prey relationships, inspired by salmon, along the north Pacific.
He is the author of four books on the carnivores of the BC coast and has been the recipient of a number of awards including the (NANPA) North American Nature Photographers Vision Award, along with his wife, Karen McAllister, he was named one of the "leaders for the 21st Century" by Time magazine. He is a member of the International League of Conservation Photographers (iLCP) and lives with his family on the central coast of British Columbia in Heiltsuk First Nation territory. His current work focuses on the predator prey relationships, inspired by salmon, along the north Pacific.
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Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews
February 3, 2018
You can see this review @ https://readrantrockandroll.com/2018/...
A Bear’s Life had my children and me captivated from the very first pages. The book is an adventure from start to finish, containing photographs from the Great Bear Rainforest including black bears, grizzlies, spirit bears, wolves, and other wildlife.
This is a simple read for elementary students and easy enough for three to four year olds to understand when reading aloud. Along with each photograph, facts are shared and readers will learn what the bears eat, how they socialize, what other animals live there, how they hibernate, and much more beginning with spring and following through to winter again. Our most favorite parts in the book included facts about spirit bears (black bears with cream-colored fur) and how special they are with roughly a 1 to 10 ratio compared with black bears.
I appreciated that even the location of the rainforest was shared in the beginning of the book so young ones can get an idea where it is on the map. I think the map would’ve been better located on an actual page versus the front inside cover because it’s easy to miss.
Overall, we loved A Bear’s Life and can’t wait to read other books in the My Great Bear Rainforest series.
5*****
A Bear’s Life had my children and me captivated from the very first pages. The book is an adventure from start to finish, containing photographs from the Great Bear Rainforest including black bears, grizzlies, spirit bears, wolves, and other wildlife.
This is a simple read for elementary students and easy enough for three to four year olds to understand when reading aloud. Along with each photograph, facts are shared and readers will learn what the bears eat, how they socialize, what other animals live there, how they hibernate, and much more beginning with spring and following through to winter again. Our most favorite parts in the book included facts about spirit bears (black bears with cream-colored fur) and how special they are with roughly a 1 to 10 ratio compared with black bears.
I appreciated that even the location of the rainforest was shared in the beginning of the book so young ones can get an idea where it is on the map. I think the map would’ve been better located on an actual page versus the front inside cover because it’s easy to miss.
Overall, we loved A Bear’s Life and can’t wait to read other books in the My Great Bear Rainforest series.
5*****
July 28, 2017
I received this book from Netgalley in exchange of an honest review.
Bears, bears everywhere! I just had to try out this book when I spotted it at Netgalley. I love bears, and the cover looked adorable.
Sadly, the book was pretty chaotic, we jump from topic to topic, of course all about bears (and one raven), but at times I thought I missed pages because we suddenly went from cubs to beaches and shells. I know this is a short book, but it would really have benefited from a bit more order. Maybe even some pages in-between to announce what the next topic is (hey, it is a good excuse to add more of those cute bear photographs).
The sentences are also a bit hopscotch. Just like how the topics go from one to another, that is also what it feels like with the sentences. I get they want to have kids understand it easily, but I am not sure if kids will benefit from this in this particular book.
Still I will rate this book 3 stars. Why? The pictures are just the best (and adorable), the format (as in pictures + text) is done well, plus you can actually read the text when it is pasted on the photographs.
Review first posted at https://twirlingbookprincess.com/
Bears, bears everywhere! I just had to try out this book when I spotted it at Netgalley. I love bears, and the cover looked adorable.
Sadly, the book was pretty chaotic, we jump from topic to topic, of course all about bears (and one raven), but at times I thought I missed pages because we suddenly went from cubs to beaches and shells. I know this is a short book, but it would really have benefited from a bit more order. Maybe even some pages in-between to announce what the next topic is (hey, it is a good excuse to add more of those cute bear photographs).
The sentences are also a bit hopscotch. Just like how the topics go from one to another, that is also what it feels like with the sentences. I get they want to have kids understand it easily, but I am not sure if kids will benefit from this in this particular book.
Still I will rate this book 3 stars. Why? The pictures are just the best (and adorable), the format (as in pictures + text) is done well, plus you can actually read the text when it is pasted on the photographs.
Review first posted at https://twirlingbookprincess.com/
August 17, 2017
A Bear's Life by Ian McAllister and Nicholas Read is an excellent nature book that has the most fabulous images! There are pictures of bears, other animals, of the gorgeous natural landscape, of the "spirit bears", of bears fishing, and more. The pictures are crisp, clear, and stunning! They make the reader feel warm, caring, and understanding to the bear and their life, and surroundings. The information that accompanies the pictures gives the reader information about the life of the bears, what it would be like to be a bear, what they would get, see, do, hunt, etc. A great book for kids of all ages. Great learning book and a great visual delight! I want to thank NetGalley and the book publishers for allowing me to read this book.
August 19, 2017
A Bear's Life by Ian McAllister is a wonderful nature book with gorgeous photographs taken by the author. There are pictures of bears, other animals, and the beautiful landscape of the British Columbian Rain Forest. The text in the book describes the life of the bears, what they eat, how they forage, raise their young and hibernate. The information is short and not too detailed for young readers. I liked reading about the Spirit Bear as that is not something I really knew about before. This is a good book to give basic information and to peak the interest of the reader to investigate further. It is also a good non-fiction book for young readers. A great book for kids of all ages. Great learning book and a great visual delight. I would recommend this book for public, school and classroom libraries. The publishers provided me with a copy of this book via Netgalley.
July 26, 2017
I adore this book! Written in a conversational tone, this book would be perfect for parents to read to their younger children and for older children to read to themselves. With enough information to capture your interest but without the information overload that leaves you bored, A Bear's Life would be a fantastic resource to assist children writing school reports and will be sure to teach their parents new information as well.
Following a year in the life of British Columbia's black bears, grizzly bears and spirit bears, the words are complemented by spectacular photography. You almost feel as though you could reach out and touch the bears in some of the images. The changes in layout and the scatterings of bear paw prints throughout the book work together, unlike some children's nonfiction books where the layout on each page remains the same and becomes stale by the end. There's a great balance between words and images, and there aren't any pages that look cluttered.
I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley (thank you very much to NetGalley and Orca Book Publishers) in exchange for an honest review. I'd recommend this book to children and parents alike, and imagine it being used in classrooms, as well as public and school libraries. I'll be looking out for more books in this series.
Following a year in the life of British Columbia's black bears, grizzly bears and spirit bears, the words are complemented by spectacular photography. You almost feel as though you could reach out and touch the bears in some of the images. The changes in layout and the scatterings of bear paw prints throughout the book work together, unlike some children's nonfiction books where the layout on each page remains the same and becomes stale by the end. There's a great balance between words and images, and there aren't any pages that look cluttered.
I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley (thank you very much to NetGalley and Orca Book Publishers) in exchange for an honest review. I'd recommend this book to children and parents alike, and imagine it being used in classrooms, as well as public and school libraries. I'll be looking out for more books in this series.
February 4, 2018
A Bear’s Life by Nicholas Read is the second book in the My Great Bear Rainforest series. Full of beautiful photographs, and fun facts about the bears and other wildlife of the rainforest, this book will teach young readers all about the daily life and behaviour of the bears. The lessons are from bear perspective, so you get an idea of how cubs learn from mom. In addition to black bears and grizzlies, readers also learn about the very special Spirit Bear, which is a genetic aberration among black bears, and are sacred animals.
My little ones (and the older ones) really enjoyed learning about the rainforest, and the bears. This is a perfect book for any young reader that enjoys nature and animals.
***Many thanks to Netgalley and Orca Publishing for providing an egalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.
My little ones (and the older ones) really enjoyed learning about the rainforest, and the bears. This is a perfect book for any young reader that enjoys nature and animals.
***Many thanks to Netgalley and Orca Publishing for providing an egalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.
October 31, 2017
For a person, who thinks she HAS to become a bear, this book is a treat -- pages after pages of bears of all colours and trivia about how they eat, mate, and hibernate. I loved 'A Bear's Life'. Am I ready to become a bear? Well, almost. Now which bus should I take to reach the rainforest? ;)
June 26, 2026
British Columbia’s Great Bear Rainforest, part of the westernmost Canadian province’s larger coastal rainforest, stretches from the north part of Vancouver Island to Alaska and includes many offshore islands. It’s named for grizzly, black, and spirit bears. I’d never heard of the latter until reading one of photographer Ian McAllister’s books for older kids several years ago. Spirit bears with their off-white or cream-coloured fur are, in fact, the offspring of black bears. As author Nicholas Read explains in this book, there are thought to be around four hundred spirit bears (among the estimated thousands of bears) in the Great Bear Rainforest. Some experts suggest that one in ten black bears in this forest is born white.
In his text, Read says no one knows why these bears are white, but that isn’t actually true. You don’t have to do much research to discover that spirit bears’ unusual colour is due not to albinism but “a rare, double-recessive genetic trait in the MC1R gene, which prevents the production of melanin. To be born white, a cub must inherit the mutated gene from both parents, even if both parents are black.” Read does correctly point out that the bears have an advantage in fishing because it’s much harder for fish to discern (and avoid) a white bear appearing against a bright sky than it is for them to see a black one.
The title of this book is a little misleading. The text doesn’t tell the story of just one bear (as I expected); rather it gives young readers a sense of the lives of both grizzlies and black bears—from their birth in late winter to their emergence into the forest in the early spring and beyond.
Grizzly cubs spend three full years with their mothers before going off on their own; black bears, only half that time—a year and a half. Not much information is given about the cubs’ development, beyond the fact that a mother bear’s instruction is critical. There’s a fair bit of emphasis on diet. Read points out that people mistakenly believe bears are meat eaters. While it’s true that they’ll eat barnacles, clams and especially large amounts of salmon in the fall (to fatten up for winter), bears are largely vegetarian. They have a particular fondness for berries, of which there are abundant varieties in the rainforest.
One of the most interesting tidbits related by the author concerns bears’ fishing “styles”. According to Read, each bear has his or her own. Some duck their heads under water and grab fish with their teeth. Others scoop the fish out of the river or pin them against rocks, and some even jump on them, using their abdomens to hold the fish down and crush them.
Ian McAllister’s superb photography makes this book a treat. There are photos of bears (as well as some other rainforest animals) from many angles. This is a lovely, accessible work, which can be read and enjoyed by kids in grade two on up. Adults included. Recommended.
4.5
In his text, Read says no one knows why these bears are white, but that isn’t actually true. You don’t have to do much research to discover that spirit bears’ unusual colour is due not to albinism but “a rare, double-recessive genetic trait in the MC1R gene, which prevents the production of melanin. To be born white, a cub must inherit the mutated gene from both parents, even if both parents are black.” Read does correctly point out that the bears have an advantage in fishing because it’s much harder for fish to discern (and avoid) a white bear appearing against a bright sky than it is for them to see a black one.
The title of this book is a little misleading. The text doesn’t tell the story of just one bear (as I expected); rather it gives young readers a sense of the lives of both grizzlies and black bears—from their birth in late winter to their emergence into the forest in the early spring and beyond.
Grizzly cubs spend three full years with their mothers before going off on their own; black bears, only half that time—a year and a half. Not much information is given about the cubs’ development, beyond the fact that a mother bear’s instruction is critical. There’s a fair bit of emphasis on diet. Read points out that people mistakenly believe bears are meat eaters. While it’s true that they’ll eat barnacles, clams and especially large amounts of salmon in the fall (to fatten up for winter), bears are largely vegetarian. They have a particular fondness for berries, of which there are abundant varieties in the rainforest.
One of the most interesting tidbits related by the author concerns bears’ fishing “styles”. According to Read, each bear has his or her own. Some duck their heads under water and grab fish with their teeth. Others scoop the fish out of the river or pin them against rocks, and some even jump on them, using their abdomens to hold the fish down and crush them.
Ian McAllister’s superb photography makes this book a treat. There are photos of bears (as well as some other rainforest animals) from many angles. This is a lovely, accessible work, which can be read and enjoyed by kids in grade two on up. Adults included. Recommended.
4.5
August 23, 2017
An introduction to the Great Bear Rainforest, the types of bears who live there, and their typical activities throughout the year.
This was so very well done. The text flows and is informative, but the photos are what really make this book excellent. They aren’t just photos of bears, they catch the bears in action and make them come alive. A beautiful, informative, and engaging book. Highly recommended for curious lower and middle grade students, and any class studying temperate rainforests or bears. I’ll definitely be recommending that our elementary library add this title.
I received an ARC of this title from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
This was so very well done. The text flows and is informative, but the photos are what really make this book excellent. They aren’t just photos of bears, they catch the bears in action and make them come alive. A beautiful, informative, and engaging book. Highly recommended for curious lower and middle grade students, and any class studying temperate rainforests or bears. I’ll definitely be recommending that our elementary library add this title.
I received an ARC of this title from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
August 21, 2017
'A Bear's Life' first and foremost has the most stunning photographs, of bears in their natural habitat and things we wouldn't ordinarily get to see. The text is rather small - I assume not to detract from the beauty of the images - which can be a little trickier to read, but the layout is on the whole, great. This is only a short book but there are plenty of interesting facts - I certainly learnt quite a lot about bears! Apparently this is the second book in the Great Rainforest series, so I'll be looking out for the first book just on the photographs alone.
March 12, 2018
An enjoyable book of great quality on these beautiful mammals. The photographs of Ian McAllister are practically image poetry, some of them capture such intimate moments of the bears that you almost dive into the forest with them. Nicholas Read's narrative is fluid, interesting, relevant and even funny. It is a book that you will not be disappointed to enjoy as a family, for educators and homeschooling.
October 21, 2017
Absolutely gorgeous photographs of bears. I needed, and I think young readers will need, more detailed information. Where exactly is the Great Bear Rainforest? (There is a map on the front flap, but a larger, more detailed map would be helpful in the text. The book mentions grizzles and black bears. Sometimes I was not clear on which bear was in the photographs or being discussed.
July 28, 2017
The photography is beautiful. I liked how the text did not talk down to children but made the concepts clear and easy to understand. Different types of bear are discussed as well as mentioning other animals in the rainforest. I especially liked the discussion about Spirit Bears.
October 13, 2017
This book about bears in Great Bear Rainforest doesn't provide the context of where the rainforest is located/basic information about the habitat, which makes everything else seem kind of confusing and out of place.
July 31, 2018
Learn about spirit bears in this nonfiction book about Great Bear Rainforest which is part of Canada's Vancouver Island. It's for young readers and illustrated with photographs by Ian McAllister.
August 6, 2017
Love that this is local.
January 15, 2018
Fantastic photographs and informative text. Readers of Hidden Life of a Toad will enjoy this one!
March 31, 2018
Nice pictures, but too young
May 14, 2018
This informative picture book is filled with absolutely spectacular photography.
May 1, 2020
A good book for parents to read to kids about bears
July 28, 2017
A wonderful and colorful photographic journey through bear country, with lots beautiful scenery and plenty of interesting facts about the different types of bears for school-aged children. Great for family reading time. Can be interesting to older people too. Highly recommend. Thanks to NetGalley for providing this ebook for review.
February 28, 2020
Great book about the life of a bear in the Great Bwar Rainforest.
September 30, 2017
Beautiful photographs. A nice introduction to the the types of bears and their activities in the Great Bear Rainforest
August 30, 2018
Wonderful!
Want to Read
September 26, 2017Note: I received a digital review copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley.
November 19, 2017
No matter how old we are, we never stop learning something new.
When I saw the photograph of a white bear on the book's cover, I became curious and wanted to find out more about it. I have never seen a white bear before in my life. I also did not know about the Great Bear Forest, located in British Columbia. The beautiful photographs of the bears that live there and the descriptions that go with them, are ideal to capture the curiosity of young children. Even as adults, we can learn something new from this book. I believe that A Bear's Life by Ian McAllister, and Nicholas Read should be in every children's library.
When I saw the photograph of a white bear on the book's cover, I became curious and wanted to find out more about it. I have never seen a white bear before in my life. I also did not know about the Great Bear Forest, located in British Columbia. The beautiful photographs of the bears that live there and the descriptions that go with them, are ideal to capture the curiosity of young children. Even as adults, we can learn something new from this book. I believe that A Bear's Life by Ian McAllister, and Nicholas Read should be in every children's library.
December 15, 2017
A Bear's Life by Ian McAllister, and Nicholas Read is a children's nonfiction book and the second book in the My Great Bear Rainforest series. Black bears, grizzly bears, and spirit bears all make their home in the Great Bear Rainforest. A Bear's Life uses Ian McAllister's stunning photographs to follow these beautiful animals through a year in the British Columbia wilderness—catching fish, eating berries, climbing trees and taking long naps.
A Bear's Life is full of full color photographs of bears, and other animals, that are simply stunning. The information included is not very detailed, short and accessible. It could help young readers better understand how bears live, and interact with the world around them. I did not find that the book was very organized, topics seemed to jump around a bit and some of the phrasing was a bit stilted. However, the images were absolutely beautiful and make the book well worth a glance, even if I was a little disappointed in the text.
A Bear's Life is full of full color photographs of bears, and other animals, that are simply stunning. The information included is not very detailed, short and accessible. It could help young readers better understand how bears live, and interact with the world around them. I did not find that the book was very organized, topics seemed to jump around a bit and some of the phrasing was a bit stilted. However, the images were absolutely beautiful and make the book well worth a glance, even if I was a little disappointed in the text.
Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews