The Polar Bear's Gift

by Jeanne Bushey, Vladyana Krykorka

Pani, a young Inuit girl who longs to be a great hunter of polar bears, loses her way in the frozen Arctic one day and encounters a wounded polar bear cub, and after she helps him return to his mother, she receives a special gift.

Genres: Picture Books

32 pages, Hardcover

First published March 22, 2001

Reviews

[Meg]

These illustrations were stunning!

[Nadine]

This story would give children an idea of how important animals are to Inuit people, both as a source of food, and as respected creatures that share the land. It shows the differences in what children here and there might consider future careers. Very few children here would aspire to be hunters as adults, where it is not unusual in the story that Pani desires to become a great hunter, as hunting is a very common Inuit way of life. This story would be an effective way to remind students how important animals are, and that we should treat them all with respect because of what they can do for us.

I'll admit that as an adult I was slightly disturbed that Pani wanted to kill the injured polar bear to prove that she was a hunter. I realize this happens in real life, but for some reason it bothered me in this story.

[Ck]

What an amazing book! I loved the illustrations in this story!