Laura Purdie Salas

Small Reads for Brighters Days

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[nonfiction monday] Finding Hope (by Michelle Myers Lackner)

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Finding Hope
by Michelle Myers Lackner, photo-illustrated
Adventure Publications, 2013


In 2010, Minnesota children’s writer Michelle Myers Lackner ended up with an international news sensation happening literally in her back yard. So what did she do? She wrote a book, of course.

25,000 people witnessed via webcam the birth of black bear Hope in northern Minnesota. And when Hope became separated from her mother, the whole world watched the drama unfold and celebrated their reunion.

In this picture book inspired by the real events, Lackner tells the story of Hope’s first entry into the real world and her scary separation from her mother, Lily. The bears were part of a research project of the North American Bear Center, so the entire separation and effort to reunite the bears was well recorded and documented.

The book features captivating photography of Hope and Lily–most of them still captures from video. If the image of Hope and Lily’s reunion doesn’t touch you, you don’t have a pulse!

And engaging, sensory language makes the text both engaging and appealing for young readers/listeners:

Hope scooted down the tree. She peered between branches and spied some sweet blueberry blossoms.

This book is a winner–a great choice for storytimes with themes of motherhood, being lost, bears, woods, and love.

[Full disclosure: Michelle Myers Lackner is a writer friend of mine, and I’m thrilled to share this new book of hers.]

Extension ideas for Finding Hope:

  • Meet Lily, Hope’s mom. Click on Live Cameras at the Bear Center’s website to watch videos and slideshows and check out the live webcam into Lily’s den (during certain seasons).
  • Discuss safety in the woods. Play some online games and review hiking safety tips from HikeSafe. Perhaps make a poster or bulletin board display with safety tips.
  • Put it on paper. Write a story, report, or poem about bears–in a group or individually.

(Review copy of Finding Hope?provided by the author–though she didn’t know I was going to review it.)

Jennifer at The Jean Little Library has the Nonfiction Monday Roundup. Go learn something fun!

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Comments

  1. This sounds fantastic, Laura! I really want to read it! We have black bears at our house, but I’ve never seen a baby one in real life. Mostly the adults come and steal our bird feeder 🙂

  2. This sounds fantastic, Laura! I really want to read it! We have black bears at our house, but I’ve never seen a baby one in real life. Mostly the adults come and steal our bird feeder 🙂

  3. Awww… what a sweet story! Thanks for sharing it, especially because your friend wrote it!

    • Thanks, Jeanne–It was exciting watching Michelle go through the process. Living the experience first, and then trying to turn it into a book in a timely manner–so many issues! I’m really happy to finally see her hard work come to fruition.

  4. Awww… what a sweet story! Thanks for sharing it, especially because your friend wrote it!

    • Thanks, Jeanne–It was exciting watching Michelle go through the process. Living the experience first, and then trying to turn it into a book in a timely manner–so many issues! I’m really happy to finally see her hard work come to fruition.

  5. This sounds encganting, Laura – I like the way the little snippet of text you shared reads, too. I coulod see this as a mentor text in both reading and writing workshop.

  6. This sounds encganting, Laura – I like the way the little snippet of text you shared reads, too. I coulod see this as a mentor text in both reading and writing workshop.

  11. This sounds like a great addition for the Doucette Library (university curriculum library). Thanks for the recommendation.
    Tammy

  12. This sounds like a great addition for the Doucette Library (university curriculum library). Thanks for the recommendation.
    Tammy

  13. I am the Volunteer Coordinator for the North American Bear Center and wanted to tell Michele how much I loved Finding Hope. I do not use FB, so do not know how to reach Michele.

  14. I am the Volunteer Coordinator for the North American Bear Center and wanted to tell Michele how much I loved Finding Hope. I do not use FB, so do not know how to reach Michele.

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