The Little Polar Bear and the Whales by Hans De Beer – A Children’s Book Review

Lars, the little polar bear, who is the hero of seven other favorite LITTLE POLAR BEAR stories, appears in a story where the weather in his North Pole home creates trouble for new friends. After a very long and dark winter, Lars is happy to see the snow melting and warm weather. His parents are not. He can’t fathom it as he enjoys a hot bath in the slush, smelling the flowers, and discovers a sunken sailboat half submerged. It is there that he makes a new friend in a cormorant bird named Conrad, but who passes by Conny.

Conny and Lars have fun with mischievous belugas and even a big gray whale until a scary whaler arrives. Lars is smart enough to show his new playmates a place to hide in a small bay where the ship won’t just go to block him by breaking the ice of a glacier. Will the whales be trapped? Can Lars save them? As always, a happy ending concludes the tale of Little Polar Bear, but gives youngsters reason to ask many questions that will hopefully lead to discussions about why the North Pole was so hot and why it is not good for the creatures that live there, including the adorable Lars, the little polar bear.

Hans de Beers creates a beautiful, fun and educational tale for youngsters with his talented watercolors and his heroic character, the little polar bear. The delicious story of friendships will appeal to fans of this series while reminding them how fragile nature is and what role we all must play in it to make things better.

Originally submitted to Curled Up with a Good Kid’s Book by Karen Haney