Black Bear: North America's Bear

by Stephen R. Swinburne Narrated by Brian Hutchison

Overview

Three species of bear inhabit North America: the grizzly, the polar bear, and the black bear. But the American black bear is truly North America's bear, found only in North America. Black bears range from Canada to Mexico, from New England to California. There may be as many as 750,000 black bears roaming the forests and mountains of the continent. With its large population, and with more people moving into black bear territory, it's important that we understand this magnificent animal. Stephen R. Swinburne takes us to where black bears live. He joins biologists in search of bears in the Pennsylvania woods, where a mother bear is examined and her cubs tagged. He visits a "school teacher" for orphaned cubs who teaches them how to survive in the wild. Along the way, he offers his personal observations together with fascinating facts about black bears and their world. (Did you know that in the autumn, black bears consume as much as twenty thousand calories a day? That's equivalent to forty-two hamburgers!) With stunning full-color and archival photographs, this lively book shows how North America's bear behaves and survives.

Editorial Reviews

School Library Journal

Gr 3-5-Stunning, full-color photos and a lively text make for an intriguing introduction to these fascinating animals. Swinburne traveled to several locales to observe biologists at work, including a licensed wildlife rehabilitator in New Hampshire who has mentored orphaned cubs for 10 years. Another chapter provides historical perspective by relating how human encounters with bears were once the norm at Yellowstone National Park. Using helpful photos, the final chapter illustrates the signs these animals leave behind in the woods. The readable text offers observations about bear behavior, often addressing common misconceptions. Fact boxes present additional information, such as the controversy about hibernation versus semi-hibernation and a look at tracking individual animals. The combination of full-color photos, some taken of Swinburne's observations, and the historical photographs from National and Yellowstone Park Service archives, expands the reading experience. A range map of North America is also included. Written to enlighten children's knowledge of the black bear's world and that of those who study and help wildlife, this book is well researched and well delivered.-Nancy Call, Santa Cruz Public Libraries, Aptos, CA Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information.

Kirkus Reviews

Black bears roam North America from Maine to California, with populations estimated at 750,000; increasingly they are invading urban areas. In this glossy photo essay, the author describes his own encounters with black bears and interviews bear specialists, including a Pennsylvania bear biologist and a licensed wildlife rehabilitation specialist in New Hampshire who raises orphaned bear cubs. One chapter recounts a history of bears in Yellowstone National Park where feeding bears became a dangerous popular pastime. While the author’s enthusiasm is evident, the chapters do not form a cohesive whole. The colorful photos of the author cuddling bear cubs may give young naturalists the impression that bears are harmless wild neighbors. They aren’t. As black bears expand their range, invading urban neighborhoods, young naturalists should be cautioned to give them a wide berth. Includes further reading, Web sites, and a brief index. (Nonfiction. 7-10)

From the Publisher

"Swinburne has created a non-fiction book that flows like a well-written book of short stories. . . . An interesting, entertaining, and informative addition to any collection." —Library Media Connection

Product Details

BN ID:	2940170734108
Publisher:	Recorded Books, LLC
Publication date:	11/08/2013
Edition description:	Unabridged
Age Range:	8 - 11 Years

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