Alan Lind

Genre: I would say this is an informational book. It is not a dictionary or an encyclopedia, but the characters are actually just bears that the artist has drawn. No characters speak, and the only voice we see or hear from is the narrator. The narrator tells us all about the black bears and their eating, nesting, family, and hibernation habits. I would also classify this as informational because it can be a young reader's reference book.

The media used in this informational book is not show more photographs, but instead it looks like acrylic paint. With each page of new information, the artist reconstructs the black bear's activity with her cub and shows how she is teaching them how to survive in the forest. The details are really great and they show the activities pretty realistically. show less

The story begins with the mother and two cubs waking up from hibernation. The cubs were born while the mother was asleep. They are all hungry and she finds food for them and teaches them how to get their own food. Finally winter is beginning and the bears find a den to hibernate in until spring when the cubs will be on their own.

Though told in a story type format, I count this as nonfiction because the story of two black bear cubs and their mother is really intended to teach about how bear cubs live. During the story we learn about what bear cubs eat and how they stay safe. We also get to see them playing.

Mother bear teaches her cubs how to live and have fun in the forest.