Moon Bear
By Brenda Z. Guiberson and Ed Young
3.5/5
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About this ebook
Moon Bears, or Asiatic black bears, are so named because of the white moon-shaped blaze on their chests. The moon bears are seldom seen but their footprints, claw marks, hair, and bear nests high in the trees give us clues about how they live. Sadly, there are now more moon bears in captivity than in the wild, as these animals are being "farmed" for their commercially valuable bile.
Brenda Guiberson's lyrical text and Ed Young's stunning illustrations combine in a winning tribute to this endagered species. Follow one moon bear in the wild as she eats, plays, hibernates, and wakes up again in the spring.
Moon Bear is a 2011 Bank Street - Best Children's Book of the Year.
Brenda Z. Guiberson
Brenda Z. Guiberson has written many books for children, including Cactus Hotel, Spoonbill Swamp, Moon Bear and Disasters. As a child, Brenda never thought she wanted to be a writer—her dreams tended more toward jungle explorer. She graduated from the University of Washington with degrees in English and Fine Art. She started thinking about writing for children when her son went to elementary school, and she volunteered in his class and in the school library. After taking exciting trips that involved a fifty-foot cactus, hungry alligators and sunset-colored spoonbills, she wanted to create books for children that would be like a field trip. Her books are full of well-researched detail, and Brenda sees this research as an adventure—one that allows her to be a jungle explorer at last. She lives in Seattle, Washington.
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Reviews for Moon Bear
24 ratings7 reviews
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Moon Bears was a informative book about Black Bears. I think this story was great. I enjoyed the beautiful illustrations. I think the author did a good job showing readers the life of a black bear in their natural habitat. I thought the story was about one bear until the end when I realized they were actually talking about three bears. The bears in this story are rare and hardly ever seen. The story would be great for kids. I think it can expose them to an animal not spoken about to much.
- Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5In a poetic series of questions and answers, author Brenda Z. Guiberson - whose other works of natural history for younger readers include the outstanding Life in the Boreal Forest and Into the Sea - explores the world of Asiatic black bears, often called "Moon Bears" because of the distinctive crescent-moon-shaped white patch on their chests. Her simple text sets out some of the species' behaviors and activities in the wild, from climbing trees to eating berries, following the Moon Bear from the end of one hibernation period, through the end of another.Accompanying Guiberson's text are the appealing collage illustrations of talented artist Ed Young, whose retelling of the Chinese folktale Lon Po Po was awarded a Caldecott Medal in 1990. Bright colors and a bold design - I loved the picture of Moon Bear stuffing her face with raspberries (what can I say? I can identify with the impulse!) - make this a book with visual, as well as textual appeal, while the informative afterword, complete with photographs of real moon bears, gives young readers more information about this threatened species. Recommended to all young bear-lovers and would-be naturalists, as well as to Ed Young fans!
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5The character of Moon Bear was very intriguing and well developed, mostly because he was based off a real animal. Although this particular bear was depicted through pictures and not photographs, this story gave facts about the actual animal through a cute children’s story. The illustrations were very unique, because they were not typical drawings. Each page revealed the Moon Bear who was crafted out of layering different textures and colors. The story also included some real life textures, such as leaves or fur, which helped create a more realistic looking story. This repetitive pattern of asking a question and answering was interesting because it allowed the reader to see every side of this rare bear. The end of the story included a few pages about the bear in real life and how we, as the reader, can help to protect them. The author was able to take a cause important to her and create an interesting children’s book to get them interested in helping too. The main idea of this book was to get to know these bears, and I think the author did a great job at creating a unique story that I enjoyed very much.
- Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5Guiberson, BrendaMoon BearIllustrated by Ed Young. 2010. 40pp. $16.99 hc. Henry Holt and Co. 978-0-8050-8977-6. Grades K-3.Moon bears, or Asiatic black bears, are an endangered species, and one of the few species of bear that makes a nest in trees. This book provides interesting facts about moon bears while presenting images of the bears through unique cut-paper illustrations. Through a yearlong look at the moon bear, everything from the moon bear's diet to the moon bear's hibernation habits is described in child-friendly detail, and a few pages at the back give more information about moon bears and their endangered status. This story may serve as a counterpoint to stories about frightening bears and is recommended for bear enthusiasts and nonfiction lovers.
- Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5This book is about moon bears. It describes the characteristics of the moon bears and their habitats.
- Rating: 2 out of 5 stars2/5Very factual story describing the characteristics of a Moon Bear. Insert on the back describing the Moon Bear and ways to help conserve the endangered species.
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5“Moon Bear” by Brenda Z. Guiberson and Ed Young is a simple story, appropriate for the ages of about 4 to 8. The story focuses on a year in the life of a female moon bear (or Asiatic black bear) in the wild of Southeast Asia, and consequently educates the reader about moon bears and endangered species. There isn't a lot of text and it's set out in a call-and-response format. Guiberson also applies quite a bit of alliteration to the prose, which is effective. Young's illustrations are unusual and quite impressive, as they are collages, that incorporate illustrations, as well as photos of natural materials and wildlife. I think the inclusion of natural materials such as bark and plants especially compliments the whole environment theme. In addition to this the last 2 pages of “Moon Bear” are very useful, consisting of information and photos of moon bears, and a website address of how we can help protect them. I can see a lot of use for this book, particularly in a science or social studies class. My only criticism is that a glossary would be helpful for certain words younger readers may not be familiar with, such as “Himalayas” and “monsoon”.