Bear to the Rescue

Bear to the Rescue by Romane Cristescu and Nic Gill, illustrated by Sylvia Morris (CSIRO Publishing) HB RRP $26.99 ISBN: 9781486314904

Reviewed by Dannielle Viera

When Bear was a puppy, people thought he was adorable. But when he grew up, he became ‘too much’. He had lots of energy and nothing to do – so he made up his own jobs. His owners called him a ‘bad dog’. Eventually he was taken to a new home, one where he learned to sniff out koalas for researchers. Bear enjoyed this important task, particularly when he had to locate koalas after a bushfire. He helped the koalas and made the people happy, too.

In this educative and engaging picture book aimed at kids aged five to nine, Romane Cristescu and Nic Gill tell the real-life story of a koala-detection dog named Bear. The use of first person allows youngsters to see Bear’s world and work from a unique point of view, ensuring that they are soon cheering for this canine hero. At the back of the book there is more detailed information about Bear, as well as a handful of fascinating facts about dogs and koalas.

 

Sylvia Morris’s bright and delightful illustrations perfectly match the optimistic tone of the text. Her charming characterisation of blue-eyed Bear will appeal to all readers, especially those who adore animal stories. Even the endpapers – which feature a colony of cuddly koalas sleeping in trees – are sure to bring smiles to faces.

 

With its focus on finding your purpose in life, Bear to the Rescue proves the old adage that every dog has its day. Inspiration and information are beautifully blended into a pawsome true tale about conservation that every child needs to read.