VTG Gentle Ben 1967 Walt Morey PB Starline 1st Ed. Scholastic Books TK 1084 Used. Condition Is “Good To Very Good”. Paperback Front Cover Has 10 Cents Written On It. Back Cover Has Some Stains/ Soiled Marks. Cover And Pages Have Oxidized To A Light Brown. Book Components And Pages Are Are In Good Solid Condition. For A Juvenile Scholastic Paperback Book From 1967; It Is In Very Good Condition. Shipped Via USPS Media Mail. 954

“Gentle Ben is a bear character created by author Walt Morey and first introduced in a 1965 children's novel, Gentle Ben. The original novel told the story of the friendship between a large male bear named Ben and a boy named Mark”

“Mark, 13, lives in Orca City, a coastal town in Alaska. His father, Karl, is a seine fisherman getting ready for the yearly salmon run. Fishermen in these parts have to make their annual wages in the next six weeks. After returning from school, Mark goes to visit Ben, a brown bear. Ben was captured as a cub by Fog Benson five years ago. He has been kept captive in a dark shed with little food. Mark beings him spare sandwiches and lets him have some sunshine all the time wishing that Ben was his. Mark knows just how to tickle Ben's ears and if he scratches him under the chin, Ben will stretch it out further and start grunting like a pig!

Imagine Mark's surprise when his dad says that Fog has been trying to sell Ben for $100. With no interest he is now trying to sell tickets for $5 each. The winner gets to set Ben free and use him for target practice! Another surprise follows when Mark's mom tells him and his dad that she knows Mark has been spending his time with Ben. Can she persuade her husband that this is just what Mark needs. The doctor has said that Mark is showing the signs of TB like his deceased brother, Jamie. Prescription? Plenty of fresh air and exercise.

When Mark tries to set Ben free, Karl makes Mark bring him back. Why? A good lesson on doing things honestly. What are the conditions that Karl puts in place in order for Mark to own Ben? Karl, unlike Mark and Ellen (mom), doesn't trust the Brownie so follows with rifle in hand when Mark takes Ben down to the tundra and creek. He can't believe that he is truly like a pet. When Karl's not available, Clearwater, a friend of the family goes. Lovely to watch how Clearwater goes from scared to convinced! Having been captive so long and taken from his mother at an early age, Ben doesn't know how to fish. Who will teach him and how?

Another encounter with a drunken Fog Benson and his friends changes Ben's life forever. You'll likely feel some tears trickling in this section. I'm not going to ruin the suspense by giving you anymore of the story but this is a MUST read for all families! (What I have described is just the beginning. There is so much more!) We read it as a read aloud to our 13, 10 and 7 year old. We were ALL captivated. The author does an incredible job of describing not only the area but the people and of course Ben. However, it is not over described allowing your imagination to kick in. There are a few illustrations in the book to help the reader see how truly massive Ben was compared to his human companions. We see Mark, a somewhat naive, pale, 13 year old at the beginning of the story turn into a responsible teenager. The happenings in this book and the subsequent consequences were not easy to live with but Mark, encouraged by his parents, did what was right. This story does have a happy ending so your tears will have dried up.”