Polar the Titanic Bear

A history book told via the adventures of a stuffed bear whose 'Master' is a young boy from a very wealthy family. These people didn't think much about the lower classes, but apparently, according to the back matter, the disaster of the Titanic woke them up when they realized that so few people from steerage had been saved, and some progress has been made since.

I found the tale charming, the pictures lovely, and the photographs and other 'snapshots' of history enlightening. Best for ages 8 up, tbh, as it is long and some of the themes are complex/sophisticated.

#88, 2006

My son and I read this together this morning, and it is a simply gorgeous book. The story behind it is fascinating, too – it was written by a survivor of the “Titanic” disaster, a mother writing this story for her son from the viewpoint of the child’s stuffed toy (who also managed to survive the sinking). When put in that context, it is a really amazing and lovely story, and an interesting perspective in terms of survivor stories. The illustrations are also beautiful, and there are lots of old photos, too, which make this a great resource for a glimpse of what life was like at that time for this family of first class passengers. A lovely book, well worth reading.

A story of a boy, his teddy bear, and their escape the Titanic's sinking, originally told to the boy by his mother shortly after their family's escape from that tragedy, features beautiful illustrations and a fascinating glimpse into the past.

Told through the perspective of a stuffed teddy bear, this book explores the life of the wealthy during the 1910s, culminating in an account of a family who survived the Titanic. It includes illustrations and real-life photographs that enhance the narrative. I could use this book for at least three purposes. First, it could be used as a study of a writer's perspective, as the voice of the narrator actually is Polar the teddy bear and not a real person. Secondly, I could use it to introduce the concept of nonfiction because the story is engaging and all true. I see my students enjoying this. Lastly, in American literature, this text could be used as a supplemental source to study American culture during a specific timeframe. This was an show more excellent book! show less

This is a heartwarming story that anyone, of any age, who has ever treasured a stuffed animal can appreciate. It is a true story about a toy bear aboard the Titanic written by a mother for her son. Told from the bear's point of view, the story starts with his creation in a toy shop close to Christmastime. Polar, as the bear is called, is presented as a gift to a little boy who falls in love with him and takes him on all his daily adventures. But the two are separated when the family's trip on the new ship Titanic ends in disaster. Will Polar ever see his young master again?
Aside from the charming watercolor pictures, this book features many family photographs that reinforce the fact that this is a true story. This story is a great one show more to read aloud to younger children, and could be useful in the classroom as well due to its references to the time period, with issues such as social class subtly introduced. The epilogue contains excerpts from the author's diary and commentary on the Titanic tragedy as well as the lives of the story's characters both before and after. A lot of insight into the tragedy of the Titanic is offered. This book is highly recommended. show less

Much more than just a Titanic story, this offers a look at one privileged child's life in the days before plane travel and vaccines & antibiotics. The text was written by one of the survivors, the mother of the boy who loved Polar, shortly after the event, and is accompanied by reproductions of lots of photos of the family and their adventures.

This version of the Titanic is told by a toy polar bear. This stuffed bear was given to a young boy and the boy fell in love with this bear. Together this boy and bear go through obstacles and happiness. They take many trips, on many ships. The bear was there for his Master when he became ill. The boy grew stronger and the two continued to travel side by side. One day, when leaving Paris, the boy and bear stepped onto the ship known as the Titanic. They were both excited about the trip and being on the boat. One night the bear and Master were woken up and forced onto the main deck. The Titanic was sinking and they had to get on the lifeboat. The bear talks about the horrible experience and the loneliness everyone felt. Finally, everyone show more was saved except the bear. The polar bear is scared and worried he will never see his Master again, until he run up to him, embracing him in his arms. The boy never left the bear alone again. Throughout this book there was actual information about the Titanic that i found very interesting. show less