In the mid-13th century, Haakon IV, the king of Norway, gave Henry III, the king of England, a white bear, which was sent to live at the Tower of London. A muzzle, iron chain, and “long, strong cord” were purchased to tether the live bear near the river and allow it to fish. Those are the facts—shared in an author’s note—that form the foundation of this artful and moving picture book that speculates on details not revealed by historical documents. The bear—here a female polar bear—is shown as a cub with her mother, learning to survive in the wild. “Imagine how the world must have seemed to her—white-bright and dazzling.” After being caught by trappers, she spends a caged journey on the deck of a ship to England and remains caged—part of a menagerie of unusual animals given to the king—until he orders the muzzle, the chain, and the “long, strong chord” so she can fish in the river. “And for a while, in this faraway land, she finds home.” Use of words like “imagine” and “perhaps” in the primary narrative help readers cue into the conjecture, although the author’s note is essential for a full picture of how this account hangs on a small framework of known facts. Gorgeous acrylic, gouache, and colored pencil illustrations with decorative elements reminiscent of medieval book design further enhance this arresting volume.   (Ages 6-10)

This poignant historical nonfiction book, about a polar bear that was gifted to King Henry III, beautifully shows the importance of respecting our natural world and its precious animals.

Long ago, when kings and queens ruled much of the world, the king of Norway gave the king of England a bear.

Imagine a polar bear at ease in her natural arctic world, her only home--until trappers capture her and take her to the king of England.

Imagine a polar bear in her lonely new world, stuck in a cage. This small, enclosed space is her only home--until King Henry III decrees that she be brought to the Thames River every day to swim and fish.

Imagine now this same polar bear dipping a curious paw in the river water, then leaping in with a joyful splash. And it is here, in this unfamiliar, faraway land, in one small way, that she finds home once again.