Grizzly Bears of Alaska: Explore the Wild World of Bears

Gr 3–6—Rich, colorful photographs and descriptive narrative text showcase the world of Alaska's grizzly bears. While some attention is given to brown bears and other critters that call Alaska home, this book is primarily about the features, habitats, and behaviors of the grizzlies. The author provides details about their physical traits, from varying fur colors to the nature of their nasal cavities, and examines the relationship between those characteristics and the bears' environment and eating habits. Much focus is given to baby cubs and their mothers, and Alaska's Denali and Katmai National Parks are mentioned. Headings like "A Magnificent Creature," "Can't Catch Me!" and "Who's Hungry?" and boldface words throughout the book will assist those looking for informational text features, and discussion questions and extension activities are listed in the back. The dramatic photographs and detailed descriptions make this a nice supplement to Gail Gibbons's Grizzly Bears (Holiday House, 2003). Because the book lacks a table of contents, a glossary, an index, and resources for further inquiry, older readers, those conducting research or teachers needing materials for more exploration might find Caroline Greenland's Grizzly Bears (Grolier, 1994) from the "Nature's Children" series more helpful.—Whitney LeBlanc, Staten Island Academy, NY