Tooga: The Story of a Polar Bear

Kristin Butcher writes novels for young adults. Her most recent works
are Cairo Kelly and the Mann, The Gamma War, The Tomorrow Tunnel, The
Trouble with Liberty, and Zee’s Way.

Its subtitle notwithstanding, Tooga is the story of two polar bears. The
story begins with Ursa, a female journeying to the place where she was
born and where she, in turn, will give birth to her own cubs, Tooga and
Apoon. The bulk of the story is concerned with the cubs’ growth and
activities during the first months of their lives as Ursa nurtures them
and teaches them what they will need to know in order to survive.

About two-thirds of the way through the book, the focus switches from
Ursa to Tooga, when, at age two, he accidentally finds himself on a
south-moving ice floe that carries him far away to the shores of
Labrador. After exploring the unfamiliar surroundings and causing
trouble for the humans he encounters, Tooga eventually finds his way
back home.

In many respects Tooga is reminiscent of Tracking Triple Seven by Jamie
Bastedo, though at just 91 pages, Woods’s book is much less ambitious
and lacks the depth of Bastedo’s story. Tooga is written as a novel,
but is actually more of a fictionalized documentary on polar bears.
There isn’t a great deal of plot; it is merely a report about the
first year of a polar bear’s life. Nevertheless, the information is
presented in an interesting manner, and children who like learning about
animals in their natural habitats will enjoy Tooga’s story. A glossary
of terms is included at the back of the book. Recommended.