Fraser Bear

Gr 2—4—Set along British Columbia's Fraser River and arranged chronologically by months of the year, this story follows a cub from his birth through his first season of independence. With each phase of his growth, the life cycle of the chinook salmon is also explained as they migrate out to the ocean then back up the river to spawn and die, providing an abundance of rich food for Fraser and other animals. Readers first meet the cub when a team of biologists goes into the woods to track the collar-bearing mother to weigh and measure her during the long days of hibernation. At the end of the book, the author explains that the scientists are specially trained to perform these functions and that no one should ever approach bears without this training. The book concludes with additional facts about black bears and salmon, a simple map of the area, and resources for additional information on both species. The author depicts the many aspects of a black bear's life without anthropomorphizing Fraser (though naming him comes close). She also includes information about his habitat, the presence of other animals, vegetation, and the kind of terrain that helps sustain a wild bear's existence. A good resource for any study of the life cycle of bears or salmon.—Maggie Chase, Boise State University, ID