Bear on the Train

Brenda Baltensperger is a playwright, a director of children’s
theatre, an editor of children’s fiction, and the author of Fractured
Fairy-tales.

This delightful book is about Jeffrey, a young boy who lives in a small
town on the prairies. Attracted by the scent of grain, a hungry bear,
hoping to sate his appetite before hibernating for the long winter
months, climbs onto a train. Jeffrey, the only person to see the bear
climb into the hopper, runs alongside the train as it pulls out of the
station. Jeffrey warns the bear that it will be cold, alone, and scared,
and that its friends will miss it.

The bear settles down into a deep sleep. Every time the train passes
through town, Jeffrey tries to wake up the bear, without success.
Finally, in the spring, the bear leaves the train and Jeffrey shouts
with joy when he sees that it has survived the winter.

Lawson’s clear prose is complemented by the book’s colorful,
realistic illustrations. Young readers will learn about hibernation and
about how grain is shipped from west to east across the country. They
will also empathize with Jeffrey’s concern that the bear will be
lonely after being separated from its family and friends. Recommended.