Today I am participating in Susanna Leonard Hill’s Perfect Picture Book Friday. Be sure to check it out here.

Title: A Voice for the Spirit Bears: How One Boy Inspired Millions to Save a Rare Animal

Author: Carmen Oliver

Illustrator: Katy Dockrill

Publisher: Kids Can Press, 2019   Non-fiction

Intended Audience: Ages 6-9 (and up)

Themes: environmental activism; perseverance; animal habitats

Opening page: Simon peered through a telescope from a lookout post in Yellowstone National Park. Hours ticked by. Rain soaked his clothes. Still, he didn’t budge.

Synopsis: (from the publisher): As a child, Simon Jackson found navigating the world of the school playground difficult. He felt most at home in the woodlands, learning about and photographing wildlife. As a teenager, he became fascinated with spirit bears, a rare subspecies of black bear with creamy white fur. These elusive creatures were losing their habitat to deforestation, and Simon knew he had to do something to protect them. He decided he would become the voice for the spirit bears. But first, he would have to find his own.

Resources: In addition to the wonderful back matter included in the book, you can find a teaching guide on the publisher’s website here. There is also a video on Carmen Oliver’s website here.

For Susanna’s complete list of books with resources, please visit Perfect Picture Books.