The Polar Bear Wish

Lori Evert, Author

Per Breiehagen, Photographer

Random House Books for Young Readers, Sep. 4, 2018

Suitable for Ages: 3-7

Themes: Polar Bear, Blizzard, Norway, Arctic, Woodland Animals, Friendship

Opening: Long, long ago, so high in the mountains and close to the stars that on clear nights you didn’t need a lantern, lived an adventurous girl named Anja.

Synopsis:

On a snowy winter’s eve, Anja’s wish to go to a special Christmas party is answered when her cousin, Erik, arrives with his dogsled. Erik has packed everything they need for the trip, including food and blankets in the event of an emergency. The excited children set out for the party with their husky pups, Birki and Bria.

Along their way they see foxes, a lynx and a bright red cardinal. Snow gently begins to fall, but by the time they leave the woods it is snowing so hard they can’t see their dogs pulling their sled. They are caught in a blizzard and are lost. Birki and Bria hear wolves howling in the distance and follow their sounds which leads them to shelter.

A baby polar bear who has lost his mama in the storm, comes to their tent looking for refuge. He looks scared, so the cousins invite him into the tent. The next morning they set out to find the baby polar bear’s mama. They travel across glaciers and through beautiful frozen fjords. Can Anja, Erik and their animal friends help the little bear find his mother?

Courtesy of Per Breiehagen

Why I like this book:

Lori Evert and her husband, Per Breiehagen, creators of the bestselling The Christmas Wish, have teamed up to create their sixth enchanting and richly textured Nordic Christmas tale starring their rosy-cheeked daughter, Anja. The Polar Bear Wish is a magical tale of friendship, bravery and believing. It will give children something to wonder about and keep that special feeling of magic alive in their hearts.

The setting is realistic and contributes to the fairy tale charm. Anja is bundled up in authentic 18th century Norwegian clothing and reindeer boots. She gets around on a dog sled and slender wooden skis with straps. Her rustic log house has an earthen roof covered with snow. The text is friendly and imparts information about nature and survival in the arctic.

Per Breiehagen’s photograph are so mesmerizing and enchanting that children and adults will want to study them to absorb the magic of each scene. He captures this beautiful story with his  breathtaking landscapes and playful scenes of Anja interacting with Birki, Erik, arctic animals and nature.

The Polar Bear Wish is perfect for lap reading in front of a fire or during holiday story time. It is a Christmas treasure. Check out The Christmas Wish website which will lead you to all of the six books along with many of the beautiful and endearing photographs from each book. The family hopes their books will inspire wonder, kindness, and a love for animals and nature.

Resources: Take children on a nature walk to explore the winter wonderland and the many wonders found in the fields, forests and frozen streams. Watch the cloud formations as they transform the landscape. Take along a camera and a journal and encourage kids to record birds and animals they see. Track animal footprints in the snow and make up stories. Make snow angels and build a snowman.

LORI EVERT is the author of The New York Times bestseller The Christmas Wish, The Tiny Wish, The Reindeer Wish, The Brave Puppy, and The Puppy’s Wish. She and her family created The Wish books together. They split their time between Minnesota and Norway.

PER BREIEHAGEN is an award-winning, internationally acclaimed photographer from Norway. His credits include National Geographic, Audubon, and The New York Times Magazine. He created the images for The Wish Books with his daughter, Anja, and wife, Lori Evert.

Every Friday, authors and KidLit bloggers post a favorite picture book. To see a complete listing of all the Perfect Picture Books (PPB) with resources, please visit author Susanna Leonard Hill’s website.

*Review copy provided by the publisher.