Little Polar Bear Takes a Stand

PreS-Gr 2—Faced with a shortage of food in a warmer and increasingly congested Arctic bay, Lars, the polar bear cub, takes matters into his own paws. As in his previous adventures, he joins up with friends to right a wrong. Isa, an arctic tern, and Bertie, a seal, dismantle a radio tower and sink the signal buoy that humans have built in the bay. Round-bodied Lars is as fuzzy and cute as ever, and his friends Bertie and Isa are cheerful and spirited. The images of the friendly animals are sometimes at odds with the action and language of the story: "In no time at all, there was nothing left of the radio station except a smoldering pile of ruins." In spite of this jarring juxtaposition, children and adults will find much to discuss in the simple story and it might inspire further conversation about taking care of our planet and different ways of making change.