Bears: Polar Bears, Black Bears, and Grizzly Bears

Jo-Anne Mary Benson’s quarterly column in Ottawa Parent magazine
focuses on books for children and parents.

How many snowshoe hares does a lynx eat in a year? What does it mean
when a wild cat scrapes? What kind of bear can run 50 km/h? These are
the kinds of questions children will be able to answer after reading
Wild Cats and Bears, which use simple sentences and colorful
illustrations

to convey a wealth of information to young

readers.

Both books address 14 topics, including the differences between
species, types of habitat, and animal behavior. The illustrations, which
occupy a two-page spread, present a unique feature: a simple picture of
a bear, for example, is enhanced with “zoom-in” drawings of the
teeth, claws, body fat, fur, and muscles. Small sidebars entitled
“Bear Facts” or “Wild Cat Facts” further contribute to the
books’ effective presentation. Recommended.