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Polar Bear Night (New York Times Best Illustrated Books (Awards)) (Hardcover)
by Lauren Thompson
| Category:
Adventure, Award-winning books, Ages 4-8, Children's book |
| Market price: ¥ 178.00
MSL price:
¥ 158.00
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| Stock:
In Stock |
MSL rating:
 Good for Gifts |
| MSL Pointer Review:
This wonderful book follows a polar bear cub on a nighttime stroll through the Arctic, and offers an interesting cast of characters, a spectacular meteor shower, and a happy, contented ending. |
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Detail |
Author |
Description |
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Reviews |
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Author: Lauren Thompson
Publisher: Scholastic Press
Pub. in: October, 2004
ISBN: 0439495245
Pages: 32
Measurements: 10.3 x 10.3 x 0.4 inches
Origin of product: USA
Order code: BC00047
Other information:
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Rate this product:
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- Awards & Credential -
New York Times Best Illustrated Books |
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- MSL Picks -
With comforting, carefully chosen words and soft pastels shading linocut prints, this book has all the elements to make it a bedtime favorite. A polar bear cub leaves the security of her warm den to discover something special out in the cold arctic air. The words "The night is keen and cold" have both a visceral and riveting effect. The choice of colors for each page establishes the mood; as the little cub sets off into snow she finds a world shaded in pink and violet, with a deep black/green sky. The comfort is reinforced at the sight of the sleeping animals she encounters, and the repetition of phrases ("She sees the seals…. She sees the whales") keeps the rhythm going. Sharp edges pair easily with soft colors as the drama of the cub's outing builds to the climax of falling stars that light up the sky, the sea, and the animals. In fact, "They light up everything the little bear loves." When the stars stop falling, she's ready to go back home to her mother's "soft, warm fur." It’s a successful and satisfying combination of adventure and bedtime story.
Target readers:
Kids aged 4-8
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Lauren joined the Bruns lab in January 2000 and worked closely with Eric Lilleskov.
Lauren graduated from UC Berkeley in December 2001. She received her bachelor's degree in Bioengineering. Lauren plans on enrolling in the University of Hawaii for a semester or two, while she prepares for the MCATs and GREs. Eventually Lauren would like to attend medical school.
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One keen, clear night, a polar bear cub wakes inside her warm den. Something in the moonlit stillness quietly beckons. What is it? The little cub sets out for the snow and sky and sea and ice, and the moon follows. So begins a magical journey through a starlit world filled with love and wonder. Soothing words and luminous pictures make this nighttime tale as comforting as a goodnight kiss.
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J. Neufeld (MSL quote), Brooklyn
<2006-12-26 00:00>
This wonderful book follows a polar bear cub on a nighttime stroll through the Arctic. Steve Savage's geometric linocut illustrations perfectly mesh with the haiku-like story by Lauren Thompson. Savage's drawings are as flawless as a diamond and as gentle as a sunrise. Spend time with the art to appreciate the subtle palettes of each 2-page spread, and the iconic simplicity of the figures in the landscape. The result is truly a book for all ages, and is worth of multiple reads. |
E. R. Bird (MSL quote), USA
<2006-12-26 00:00>
Mmmf. Linocuts. Ask me to expound on the subject of watercolors and I'll do so for years on end. Request my opinion on woodcuts or pen and ink drawings and I'll talk your ear firmly off. Plead with me to offer a discourse on the wonders of collage and you'll be pleading just as heartily an hour later when I refuse to stop. But show me a book done entirely in linocuts and you already know my response. Mmmf. Linocuts.
This is hardly fair though. Certainly linocuts, while not the most eye-poppingly fabulous illustration technique known to man, have their own particular charm. Polar Bear Night proves as much. Created through the collaboration of author Lauren Thompson (best known, until now, for bringing Little Quack books into the world) and artist Stephen Savage, the book tempers its potentially treacle-sweet message with some cute-but-not-overly-saccharine illustrations. The result works. I'll tell you right here and now that Polar Bear Night isn't my favorite picture book of 2004. But it tells a sweet message and gives young kids a good idea of what kinds of animals live on the North Pole.
A baby polar bear cannot sleep. Instead, she stares outside into the bright wintery moonlight with the undeniable feeling that something is out there. Something that is calling to her. Leaving her warm and sleeping mother's side, the polar bear cub passes a variety of different animals, all asleep and out in the open. Then she goes to the top of a mountain of snow and waits. All of a sudden, the night sky is filled with softly falling stars. In the star shower the other animals wake-up and watch in amazement. Then, when it is done, the cub is finally tired and returns home to, "mother bear's soft, warm fur". The last image in the book is of the mother softly nuzzling her baby's head.
I can see why people love this book. Thompson, who until now was content to write nice but not particularly overwhelming picture books, hones her simple words into something akin to poetry. Consider these two sentences that describe the cub as she watching the star show. "The light up everything the little bear loves. And the little bear shines bright with light too". Thompson skillfully conveys an emotion children can identify with while also making the words easy one-syllable descriptors. With this page, Thompson caught my admiration and never let it go.
Savage is different. I'm the first one to admit that the pictures here are, in their way, stunning. But there's something (forgive my phrasing) cold about the book as well. Savage places the lighting and the pacing of the illustrations in a kind of hazy dreamscape, while keeping the images here crisp, clear, and sharp. The result is a beautiful book that will please some children, but not all. This is not crime, of course. It is the rare book indeed that makes every kid happy. But for all its beauty, "Polar Bear Night" is bound to bore those children that want color and tension rather than muted tones and geometric polar animals.
It's a great book and if you know the children that you are giving it to very well (and know them to be dreamy types from time to time who can sit and listen to moderately paced tales) then this is the purchase for you. If, on the other hand, you are thinking of passing this along to reluctant readers or kids with the attention spans of sparrows, think again. It's a nice book but linocuts are not everyone's cup of tea. It's beautiful but for some it may turn out to be a rather hard sell.
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D. R. Jeanclerc (MSL quote), USA
<2006-12-26 00:00>
While many children's bedtime books are trite and redundant, every now and then you find one that's unique. Polar Bear Night is one of those books, and it immediately became a favorite of both kids and adults in our house.
It has a sparse visual style that's also very interesting - much more like retro graphic design than typical children's illustration. Still, the animal characters are each very cute and our son loves each of them.
The story is simple yet full of wonder - perfect for calming kids down before bed while also opening up their imaginations as well.
I see that Amazon is bundling this book with Kitten's First Full Moon and they are both great books with comparable storylines. However, it didn't take long for this book to overtake "Kitten" as our favorite each night. Enjoy!
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