This true-story picture book is a wonderful example for students of how one person can make a difference and pursue what they love!

Every now and then I’m asked to review a very simple children’s book that just hits all the right notes! I recently received an ARC of A Voice for the Spirit Bears and it definitely falls into that category.

Targeted to children ages 6 to 9 (though I can see how it would be enjoyable to a broader range: perhaps the 4 to 12 year old set?) the subtitle for this book is: How One Boy Inspired Millions to Save a Rare Animal. It’s the story of Simon Jackson, a boy most comfortable exploring the woods and observing wildlife. When Simon becomes a teenager, he discovers that spirit bears (a subspecies of black bear that has creamy white fur) are losing their habitat to deforestation and vows to protect them.

Simon initially launches a campaign to recruit his fellow students (and then ultimately people all over the world) to assist him in defending the spirit bears. Although he is often teased and ridiculed by other children, Simon continues his efforts to be a voice for the spirit bears. Ultimately he is rewarded for his tenacity: not only is he able to raise enough funds to have a tremendous impact on the plight of the spirit bears, he is introduced to famous environmentalists like Jane Goodall and invited on an expedition to the Great Bear Rainforest. As part of that trip, he actually sees a spirit bear for himself! Ultimately, Simon was named one of Time Magazine’s Sixty Heroes for the Planet.

I love the idea of this book for children: it plants the seed of activism in a way that is approachable and understandable for small children. Author Oliver also doesn’t pull any punches about how difficult it is to become an activist and to stand up for what you believe in. Simon is bullied for his passions but, by staying true to himself and not backing down from what he believes in, is able to make like-minded friends and ultimately become successful as the founder of multiple activism organizations.

It’s impossible to praise this book without mentioning the illustrations. Dockrill draws beautiful renderings of Simon, his escapades and the bears. The illustrations are whimsical and colorful but go a long way toward depicting Simon’s transformation from a boy who was intimidated by the opinions of others to a leader who was able to make a difference in the world. The inclusion of Dockrill’s illustrations make this book much more approachable for the younger end of the 4-12 year old age group which I think is important: it’s never too early to start planting the seed that one person can make a difference!

The end of this book is also very interesting. It transitions from an illustrated ‘story’ about a boy named Simon to a photo-journalistic telling of the life of ‘The Real Simon Jackson.’ This end matter in the book includes photographs of Simon and of the spirit bears. It also provides more details regarding Simon’s journey and the future of spirit bears in the wild. Finally, it closes with a call to action encouraging young people to find a cause a use their voices to change the world like Simon did. If the illustrations lend themselves to reading amongst the younger end of the book’s target audience, the end matter is what will make this book equally appealing to those beyond the 8 year old mark.

Working together, Oliver and Dockrill present an inspiring and educational story in a way that is accessible while remaining true to difficulty that exists in making change happen. Oliver tells the whole story…being brave and moving this effort forward was hard work for Simon. Although she clearly makes the point that Simon’s story illustrates that one person can make a difference, Oliver doesn’t sugar coat the story. Simon and the bears reaped rewards from his tremendous efforts but a great deal was required from Simon and from the worldwide community to make those rewards a reality.

Wonderful story of the importance of finding one's voice and using it to make a difference in the world. Based on a true story, Voice of the Spirit Bear describes what it's like for a child who doesn't quite fit in and follows his own path. However, his love for animals, bears in particular, moves him to engage others ans raise awareness about their plight. His belief that his voice can make a difference leads to a lifetime of doing just that. An important and worthwhile lesson, particularly for elementary students who doubt their ability to impact the larger world. Following the sory, Oliver relates the real-life story of her protagonist and provides a wealth of back matter. This combination of fact and narrative make the story even more compelling. A great read.

This book has three main goals: educate about spirit bears, talk about conservation, and encourage young people to take action. It can feel like one person can't do much to change a situation but books like this one prove that wrong.

I am very impressed with this book. It is a REAL story! But the writer and the illustrator have made it into an amazing story that is applicable for children or people who read this book. I have also read another book from this series. And I am counting on Kids Can Press to publish another books like this. It gives a big impact and a very thought-provoking story.

A picture book biography of Simon Jackson, a conservationist who started working to save bears quite young by writing letters. Despite an issue with stuttering, he managed to rally many people as a teen to help preserve land for the rare spirit bears, a white subspecies of black bear.

Simon Jackson’s story will be quite empowering for many kids who think they are too little or not good enough at speaking to rally others to a cause. If Simon could do it, they can do it, and there are even helpful tools in the back of the book on how young people can get involved in conservation efforts. There’s also more information on Simon and spirit bears in the back of the book too. I like the gentle illustrations in natural tones that complement the story well. Definitely recommended to young people who want to have a voice and do something when they hear about an issue, young conservationists, and also a great pick for bear lovers, or kids who think that something prevents them from being able to have an impact in this world.

I received an ARC of this title from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Simon Jackson doesn't quite fit in with the other kids as a child; he was bullied over his stutter, and found himself most at home in the woods, exploring, photographing, and learning about wildlife. As a teen, he found himself fascinated by a rare subspecies of black bear called a Spirit Bear and became an advocate and activist for the bears when their habitats were threatened with deforestation. Jackson founded the Spirit Bear Coalition, met Dr. Jane Goodall, and hiked the Great Bear Rainforest, always using his activism to educate others and advocate for the Spirit Bears. A Voice for Spirit Bears tells Jackson's story, and shows kids that one is never too young to advocate for change. The book is an inspiring call to action for young activists (suggest a letter-writing exercise for a cause they believe in!). I would have liked to see a little more on the indigenous T'simshian people, for whom the Spirit Bear is sacred, but all in all, A Voice for Spirit Bears is a good biography on a young activist, with lovely, muted artwork. There are discussions to be had on overcoming obstacles, environmentalism and conservation, and activism, and would be a good STEM read-aloud.

A very interesting and informative book that young readers would particularly be attracted to due to the vibrant colors and solid information.

My children are fascinated by Spirit Bears and they loved this book about a boy who helped protect the Spirit Bears! I thought this book did a great job of describing the plight of the Spirit Bear, but also inspiring children to stand up for what they believe in by following Simon's example. Simon is an inspirational character who overcame personal obstacles to fight for, and achieve, what he believed in. This story, including the real life account of "Simon" at the end of the story, was a great read!

A Voice for the Spirit Bears: How One Boy Inspired Millions to Save a Rare Animal by Carmen Oliver is a children's book currently scheduled for release on May 7 2019. This book is based on the life and work of Simon Jackson, who 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. Part of the CitizenKid collection, this book demonstrates how one child can be a voice for change. Simon's story is an excellent example of growth mindset at work, highlighting personal growth and overcoming obstacles through activism. This book can also be used to lead discussions about character education as it relates to courage, resilience and perseverance. In addition, it has strong science curriculum links to the environment, animal habitats and the effects of clear-cutting.

A Voice for the Spirit Bears is a biographical picturebook that can show young readers (and their adults) that young people can make a difference. I think that the fact that Simon had to battle a stutter, shyness, and bullying in order to spread the word about the bears and to work toward his goals is as inspiring as his dedication to his cause and fighting for the Spirit Bears. I think his dedication and perseverance might help young people find the courage to stand up and work for things they believe in as well, because if he can deal with all of those obstacles than why can't the rest of us?

I liked the style of the artwork, and think it captured the feel and intent of the story as much as the text. The emotions of the people and the beauty of the landscapes and animals was very well done. Combined with the emotion and message of the story itself I found the book as a whole to be uplighting and inspiring. I also like that at the end of the book readers get a more detailed biography of Simon and his work, and a little bit of information on what readers might do to help make a difference in their own community or for their own cause. The only thing I was hoping for here was a list or other organizations or groups young readers might want to get involved with.

A Voice for the Spirit Bears is a beautiful and inspiring read. I think it can be enjoyed and inspire a wide range of readers to step out of their comfort zones and to stand up for a cause of their own.

I was unfamiliar with Spirit Bears. This is an interesting introduction to both the bears and the young man who fought to protect them. Unfortunately, the illustrations are not that compelling, so this will take some selling by librarians, but the inspirational story is worth the effort. I also wish the factual material at the end had a bit more depth, for example including a map to show where the bears can be found. Still, a worthwhile read for young naturalists. Pair this with "A Boy and a Jaguar" by Alan Rabinowitz. Review based on an ARC through NetGalley.

My kids and I are fans of picture books based on true stories so I was excited to review this one. The illustrations and the story are great and I know my kids will love reading this book and learning about spirit bears.

My first impression on this book was the illustrations. I loved the softness the illustrator portrayed in each picture. It definitely felt right for the theme of the story. The writing style also stuck out to me in this book. It was like how a storyteller would speak to a small group of children, which I really liked. Throughout Simon’s childhood, he suffered from a speech impediment so it wasn’t easy for him to speak in front of his class. He was bullied a lot, but found peace when he was out with nature and observing the wildlife. I loved the overall message Simon gives about finding his voice so he can give the Spirit Bears ones. “Stand tall, like the grizzly from Yellowstone Park.” was a motto he lived by after seeing a standing grizzly on one of his nature outings. With his motto, he was able to overcome his fear and speak about the endangered species not just to his class, but later to organizations and businesses. It’s amazing the impact he and drive had to save these beautiful animals. 700 letters were sent out from his school! That’s amazing! In the back of the book, the information about Simon, the Spirit Bears, and what the reader “Can Do to Make a Difference” I thought were excellent and inspiring additions. Simon wasn’t afraid to follow his dreams. Not only did he later get to meet the infamous Jane Goodall, but the animal he worked so hard to save, the Spirit Bear!
Overall, I thought this book was endearing as well as inspirational. This book is good for young school-age children who like nature, bears, and true stories.

This book is a true story about a young boy who struggles in school and with people but finds a way to connect with bears and help save the Spirit Bears. I learned a lot about Spirit Bears and about the organization that this young boy started. Quite amazing what a kid can start and how it can change the world.

A Voice for the Spirit Bears is a gorgeous children's book about courage and persistence, looking at the life of David Simon Jackson. As a young boy, Simon stuttered. He preferred to keep to himself, and not talk around others. Classmates would bully him over it. So Simon ended up reading a lot, and his favourite thing to read about were bears. When he learned the first time, of bears endangered by logging, Simon raised money with a lemonade stand and donated the proceeds to help the bears. He also wrote a letter to government. Within a few weeks, the bears had a preserve of land set aside for them. As he grew older, Simon realised that his letter was probably not what caused the preserve to be created. But when he learned of the endangered spirit bears, Simon wanted to help them too. If one letter wouldn't work, maybe thousands? Simon began speaking on behalf of the spirit bears, shining a light on the issue. He even started his own charity/ conservation group, and had the honour of meeting Jane Goodall. Even better, finding his passion freed Simon from his stutter. His enthusiasm overrode his speech impediment.

This was a lovely book with a great lesson. Several great lessons, truth be told. It's a lesson in conservation and preservation, as we learn about the endangered bears and Simon's desire and efforts to help them. And it's a lesson in how freeing it can be to find your passion. It stokes your energy and helps obstacles seem to melt away. There're also lessons about facing your fears, as Simon does by being brave enough to speak in front of others despite being picked on for his stuttering, and how even one person can make a difference, and together, we can make a BIG difference. The only thing I didn't care for was the art style. It's not bad, just not my cuppa. I'd certainly recommend this book for any child interested in animals!

***Many thanks to Netgalley and Kids Can Press for providing an ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review.

I received a free ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

The illustrations in this book were beautiful. The story about a boy wanting to help preserve animals and nature was impactful, There were a lot of words on the page, so it might be harder for younger audiences, but I think it is an important story. It's a 3.5 for me.

Linda historia, aunque pensé que tendría más texto. Las ilustraciones me agradaron, eran sencillas pero bonitas. Me hubiera gustado que tuviera un tamaño de letra más grande, porque soy miope y no veía muy bien las palabras.

This lovely nonfiction children's book took me back to the summer I worked in Yellowstone National Park. Simon Jackson stutters, and other kids are often unkind, but animals do not care. When an Alaskan forest was at risk for clear-cutting, Simon held a fundraiser to help the brown bears that lived there. That was the start of his journey that ended with him gaining confidence and meeting Jane Goodall as he tried to save the Spirit Bear's habitat from deforestation. 

Oliver's story resonates with those who have ever felt a connection with nature, while Dockrill's illustrations brings his world to them. It doesn't matter if you live in the forest, plains, ocean, or city, the reader is sucked into the world of Jackson's youth and teen years.

Another fabulous offering by Kids Can Press. Thank you for the opportunity to read this ARC. I cannot wait until I can buy it.

A good read, about an inspiring young man who, full of youthful activism, but also repressed due to a stammer, managed to galvanise a large movement to save Canada's spirit bears. I always think having the solid prose biography after the artistic, simpler telling, kind of defeats the issue a little, but both here show how the lad overcame great odds to get what he wanted. Inspiring, then – and with a very decent artistic style, this is worth a look. (That's one helluva youthful Jane Goodall, there, though – she didn't look like that when I did what the subject here did and met her in the '90s. Just sayin'.)