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.

I absolutely loved April the main protagonist that we follow and i am just so so glad that when she meets Bear and continues to meet him and build his trust that the relationship was kept real and didn’t go down a fantastical route which it could have.This book made me cry so hard and I’m looking at even more things to do to help with the animals and nature that matter more to me than anything. I’m going to have to get creative as I do a lot now and I want to do many more things that matter before I die.... Since April's mother died, her father has grown ever-distant - throwing himself into his work. So when an opportunity arises for them both to work on the remote Bear Island within the Arctic Circle, April and Dad, both recognise great potential in the trip even if their goals are different. Whilst April hopes that the solitude might bring them closer together, her father sees this as an even greater opportunity to become lost in research. With no one to really talk to or be with, April tours the island only to find it has another resident - a lost, neglected polar bear. If you’re looking for a really sweet middle grade to dive into, for yourself or for a younger person in your life, this book was really beautiful. From the actual story itself to the illustrations that accompanied it, I really enjoyed this one. This was a delight to read. I enjoyed the themes that didn’t really seem probable and partially magical, because they helped to show compassion and kindness throughout the story. In addition to the much needed light shed on environmentalism and conservation, they was a lot of attention to loss and coping. This was done in a way that I felt could be easily understood by children. I loved that there was a call to do your part, no matter how small you are, or how small your action, you can make a difference. Small action leads to results faster than no action at all. Such an inspiring message for children! This remained such an important and emotional story, throughout. My heart broke along with April's at the plastic-strewn shorelines, diminishing species, and disappearing ice caps this featured. The polar bear that appeared upon one of April's adventures ensured this was not a wholly traumatic and sorrowful read, however. I can imagine it providing a whimsical yet educational reading experience for its target audience, as it appealed to this grown-up reader in a very similar way.

This is an important first novel, important for us, for polar bears, for the planet. It is deeply moving, beautifully told, quite unforgettable’ Michael Morpurgo 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… For me, there were strong connections to Anthony Browne's Gorilla. A girl, ignored, largely by her father, finds love and solace in a male replacement in the form of an animal. The difference being here that the animal needs saving and taking to a new place. The bear as a foil for her own father would make for an interesting comparison too. This is an important first novel, important for us, for polar bears, for the planet. It is deeply moving, beautifully told, quite unforgettable.” Michael Morpurgo.Hannah's writing is full of poetry and emotion. Whilst Bear is wild, April is caught between sensibility and the special gift she has with being attuned to nature; it is this that allows her to communicate with Bear throughout. This connection between reality and the magical wildness of the landscape and Bear was something I enjoyed and there were times when I wondered, like April's father, whether Bear was real or not. All of which is heightened by Levi Pinfold's outstanding illustrations throughout. This book follows April who joins her father to Bear Island in the Atlantic circle. With it just being them two on the island for six months, April goes exploring and comes across a stranded polar bear. She strikes up a friendship with this polar bear as it also explores various themes such as grief, climate change and protecting our planet and animals. 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 . . . A dazzling debut . . . A magical, confidently told story – with beautiful illustrations by Levi Pinfold’ The Times