Click!

Martha Lamon is a freelance writer and researcher based in Huntsville,
Ontario.

Established poet and storyteller Shutta Crum explores her lifelong
fascination with polar bears in this charming story.

A mother and son awake one winter morning and, armed with cameras, go
hunting for a polar bear. The young boy strays from his mother, meets up
with a baby polar bear, takes his picture, and returns to the safety of
his mother. The mother and baby polar bears’ experience parallels that
of the mother and boy. And their collective experience is nested within
the context of Ursa Major speaking warm thoughts to Ursa Minor at
daybreak and day’s end. These whisperings provide lovely bookends to
the tale. Moreover, the parallel between the stars, bears, and humans
provides a comforting structure for the tale and reminds us that we are
all one after all.

This gently exciting adventure story reinforces the principle of
non-harm. Many elements of the environment live in peaceful coexistence.
Only footprints are left, only pictures are taken. The rhythmic
parallels between the experience of the boy and that of the baby polar
bear highlight their similarities.

Playful watercolour illustrations by John Beder evoke a friendly,
northern environment and wonderfully capture the parent-child
relationships. This excellent picture book, which weaves together a
surprising number of concepts and images relating to the natural world,
would be a fine bedtime story. Highly recommended.