Tracking Triple Seven

Kristin Butcher writes novels for young adults. Her most recent works
are Cairo Kelly and the Mann, The Gamma War, and The Tomorrow Tunnel.

In this innovative novel, Jamie Bastedo has used his love of nature to
breath new life into the genre of young-adult fiction. Tracking Triple
Seven tells the overlapping stories of a grizzly, the biologists who
study her, and a boy whose wealthy father funds the bear research. Set
in the Arctic tundra near Yellowknife, the book spans a nine-month
period from late January to mid-September, chronicling the seasons and
scientists’ findings, as well as the changes in the lives of the
characters—from Ozzie and Vicky (the bear biologists) and Benji Gloss,
a 14-year-old boy trying to cope with his mother’s death, to the huge
blonde grizzly and her cubs.

Reminiscent of a wildlife documentary of the Disney variety, the point
of view shifts continually, allowing the reader to experience all sides
of the story, including that of Triple Seven (the grizzly). And though
Bastedo’s respect for the environment shines through, he makes his
points without preaching, and he balances his observations with
scientific arguments. The result is a refreshing blend of technology,
nature, and fiction, so that the reader comes away both informed and
entertained.

The only criticism of the novel concerns the prologue and opening
pages. Though not without merit, their content is somewhat dry and
likely to deter an adolescent audience from continuing with what is
otherwise a fascinating read. Recommended.