Review: The Last Bear by Hannah Gold

Hey everyone!
Today, I am excited to be sharing my review of The Last Bear by Hannah Gold with you all.

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Summary:

There are no polar bears left on Bear Island. At least, that’s what April’s father tells her when his scientific research takes them to this remote Arctic outpost for six months. But one endless summer night, April meets one. He is starving, lonely and a long way from home. Determined to save him, April begins the most important journey of her life…

This moving story will win the hearts of children the world over and show them that no one is too young or insignificant to make a difference. The Last Bear is a celebration of the love between a child and an animal, a battle cry for our world and an irresistible adventure with a heart as big as a bear’s.

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My Review:

If I’m completely honest, I rarely read middle grade books, but the book summary, and it’s beautiful cover and illustrations instantly made me want to read The Last Bear.

From the very beginning, I felt incredibly sorry for April. The lack of interest or attention that her father paid her was so sad. I understand that people deal with grief in different ways, but April needed him, and he wasn’t there. It was completely inexcusable.

April’s connection with wildlife is instantly clear and so lovely. I really wish more people would appreciate wildlife the way that April does, maybe the world would be a better place if they did. I’m glad that she had that connection, as I feel like it helped her deal with the fact that her father was so absent. It helped her to feel less alone.

The introduction of Bear was one of those literary moments that you just can’t forget. Such a beautiful creature, suffering because of the ignorance of humanity. The sad thing is that this is a reality. The relationship that then forms between April and Bear is so heartwarming, and really grabs hold of you. I loved watching the relationship develop and I was completely invested in it.

The events towards the end of the book in particular have you completely hooked, and I couldn’t put the book down. I needed to know what happened. I certainly wasn’t expecting to cry my eyes out, but there I was, an emotional wreck. For anyone who is going to read this, be prepared with a box of tissues, because it will make you ugly cry!

The book is so well written, and the descriptions are so clear, that even without the unbelievably beautiful illustrations, you would be able to visualise it all in your head. I think the author did a brilliant job of highlighting the important issue behind the story in a way that children will listen, and take notice. Educating the younger generations on looking after our planet is so incredibly important, and The Last Bear is a fantastic way of doing just that.

This story is so beautiful, it grabs at your heart strings, and I think everyone should read this book! It really makes you think, and it will stay in your mind for a very long time after too. This is one of my favourite books of 2021 so far, and I would absolutely love to see a movie adaptation!

I give The Last Bear a 5 star rating!

A huge thank you to @KaleidoscopicBT, @HarperCollinsCh and @HGold_Author for providing me with a copy of the book, in exchange for an honest review.

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About The Author:

Following a series of adventures in various different parts of the world, she settled in the south of Spain and lived very happily there for about ten years until her future husband came along and dragged her back to the UK. She now lives in Lincolnshire with her tortoise, her cat, and said husband.

Hannah is passionate about writing stories that share her love of the planet and when not writing, she’s busy looking for her next big animal story and practising her roar.

YOU CAN FIND HANNAH HERE:
Website, Instagram, Twitter

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