Publisher Description

At the start of winter, two bear cubs are born, deep in their den in the frozen north. 'Mama, what lies beyond here?' they ask. "'Above us is a land of ice and snow." "What lies beyond the ice and snow?" they ask. "The ocean, full of ice from long ago." And as they learn the secrets of the earth and their place in it, Mama Bear whispers, "You're snug with me."

Author Biography

Chitra Soundar is an Indian-born British author and storyteller. She has published over 30 books and is inspired by the rich heritage of epics and folktales from India. Poonam Mistry is a British illustrator of Indian heritage with a degree in Graphic Design and Illustration. Her work has been nominated for the Ezra Jack Keats Award, longlisted for the Klaus Flugge Prize, and shortlisted for the Kate Greenaway Medal twice.

Review

"A heartwarming tribute to creatures of the Arctic'" -ALA Booklist
"Parental love, sound ecological advice, and breathtaking illustrations all in one" -Kirkus Reviews, STARRED
"A STUNNING celebration of polar lands, their bears & motherly love! There are really no words. My breath is taken" -Book Monsters

Promotional

An exploration of the nurturing relationship between a mother and her cub, with sound ecological advice.

Long Description

At the start of winter, two bear cubs are born, deep in their den in the frozen north. "Mama, what lies beyond here?" they ask. "'Above us is a land of ice and snow." "What lies beyond the ice and snow?" they ask. "The ocean, full of ice from long ago." And as they learn the secrets of the earth and their place in it, Mama Bear whispers, "You're snug with me."

Review Quote

"Starting with their birth in a den below the snowdrifts, Mama Bear nurtures her cubs and describes the world they will encounter in the spring. The mother polar bear tells them that they will walk 'where the land will let us walk' and 'As long as the ice stays frozen, we will never go hungry.' The sea creatures pictured in this spread are recognizable but also almost phantasmagorical in the intricate designs, full of lines and dots inspired by traditional Indian art and looking beautiful here in this very different setting. Pictures full of stars and snowflakes swirl. 'Terns and geese fly through the skies.' The rhythmic quality of their undulating forms is quite striking, and it mirrors the sonorous text. Mama gives her young ones lessons, good for human children (and adults) as well as polar bears: 'We should only ever take what we need.' In telling them about the ocean and the land, the darkness of winter and the light of summer, the animals all around them, and their need to become independent after she has taught them all she knows, she reassuringly repeats the refrain: 'But hush now, you're snug with me.' In a note to readers, the author provides some additional facts about polar bears and urges everyone to be good stewards of the Earth. Parental love, sound ecological advice, and breathtaking illustrations all in one."--starred, Kirkus Reviews

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