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

I love the bright colorful pictures in this book. The story is good too.

Challenging, But Extremely Rewarding, Whimsy

Blurbs describe this book as "reminiscent" of Winnie the Pooh, and that feels fair, as far as it goes. But, as Zen as Winnie might be, the writing style of the Pooh books is comparatively simple and straightforward. In this book, Duane and his friends, while kind, mellow, and empathetic, are also a bit edgy, or touchy, or even grouchy. And I loved it.

My favorite Polar Bear is Daniel Pinkwater's Larry. While the Larry books are for younger readers, and for reading along and reading to, they also have a slightly skewed and sometimes surprisingly bracing vibe. This book struck me as the next step. Duane is a naif, but he isn't a dope. He looks for the bright side, but recognizes the dark. He is a force for goodness and kindness, and he coaxes the best out of those he encounters and befriends. But his companions can be vain, (Handsome the Musk Ox), superior and pedantic, (C.C. the Owl), reckless, (Magic the Arctic Fox), and so on. How Duane's fundamental goodness brings out the best in these characters underlies almost all of the the short chapter length tales, no matter what the substance of the actual tale might be.

This is all enhanced by a slightly arch and mannered writing style. The narration is knowing, and teases the reader a bit. Again, the tone is good natured, and often very clever or laugh out loud funny, but there is a certain bemused detachment that I found engaging and rather refreshing. Little zingers and deadpan one-liners work a lot better for younger readers, I think, than most people appreciate.

So, this really does fall into that hidden gem category, and it's just a lot more entertaining and rewarding than I ever expected. Reviewing "The House at Pooh Corner" as Constant Reader, Dorothy Parker admitted that "Tonstant Weader fwowed up". I suspect that Dorothy would have found this book much more to her liking.

(Please note that I received a free advance will-self-destruct-in-x-days Adobe Digital copy of this book without a review requirement, or any influence regarding review content should I choose to post a review. Apart from that I have no connection at all to either the author or the publisher of this book.)

The minute I started reading this book it became obvious that the writing style was quite unique. And enjoyable.

Duane the polar bear is ready to take the reader on a wonderful adventure. He meets new friends, discovers a talent for giving names to his friends, and loves to explore the very, very far north.

One morning as he strolls down the cold ocean shoreline he spots a shipwreck in the distance. Duane, who is quite inquisitive swims out and discovers an owl working in the unsubmerged captain’s quarters of the wreck. C.C., the name Duane assigns to the snowy owl, is studying so that he can acquire knowledge to share, “toward the benefit of all.” To prove it, C.C. immediately informs Duane that he is a polar bear.

There are plenty of humorous misunderstandings and each animal brings a unique personality to the story. As an example, Handsome the musk ox is often distracted by his own reflection. (Remember that Duane named the ox.)

The Very Very Far North contains quirky characters and is told in a very unique writing style.

What Concerned Me:
The whole time I was reading, I kept wondering about the content, vocabulary, and the grade level of the story. As cute as the book is, it didn’t feel like it all worked together. As an example here are some of the words in the book: lackadaisical, subsequent, archenemy, menace, scourge, excursion, chagrined, and enthralled, to name a few.

I wondered if the story would hold the attention of older kids and if the younger of the middle-grade kids could both read and understand some of the words.

What I Liked Most
I could easily see this being a book teachers might read to their classrooms. It’s so much fun, there’s plenty of opportunities to open discussions, and the teacher would be able to make sure any words or situations could be explained.

I loved the humor and dialog of each animal. And the illustrations that are added often, make the book even more fun. This is a book that I could easily visualize the characters and even imagine it as a book for younger kids with a plush Duane-the-polar-bear being available for purchase.

The Very, Very Far North is such a delightful read! It is witty, lighthearted, and full of wholesome adventure. Duane and his friends are an absolute joy! This would make a read-aloud for the whole family to enjoy. I received a copy from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to Atheneum and NetGalley for giving me an opportunity to read this eArc.

This is a chapter book about a curious polar bear who makes friends with different animals and they have adventures along the way. I thought Duane was a very cute friendly polar bear and so open to new experiences. I loved his penchant for making friends even if they had varied personalities.

This would definitely appeal to middle grade readers and the book also has a few illustrations along the way to give us a sense of what the characters look like.

The Very, Very Far North is an enjoyable book that explores the themes of friendship, getting along with others and enjoying life’s adventures.

The Very, Very Far North was such a cute, silly children’s book! I read it to my son and he absolutely adored Duane and all of his friends.

Duane the polar bear is quite curious. In addition to his two favorite activities, eating and napping, Duane enjoys a good adventure. Oh, and giving names to the new friends he meets. He's really good at giving names. Upon his adventures, Duane meets a variety of new friends in the far, far north: a snowy owl, a musk ox, an arctic fox, a puffin, a caribou, and some humans. The characters all have their quirks and flaws, but they also offer their skills and expertise to the group of friends. The chapters are short enough for beginning readers, but they may need a little help with some of the more advanced vocabulary used (counterargument, conjecturing, bewilderment). The best scenes are punctuated with the most charming charcoal illustrations that emphasize the snowy arctic atmosphere of the book.

It's hard not to laugh at the silly polar bear when he misunderstands. The creative play on words throughout the book not only provides humor, but also opportunities for young readers to learn about homophones. In one story, Duane sees a grandfather clock aboard the shipwreck and engages C.C. the snowy owl in a hilarious exchange about time and clocks. C.C. tells Duane that the purpose of the grandfather clock is to tell time, and the sound Duane hears is the clock "tocking."

“'Really? Is it talking to me?' he asked, completely misunderstanding again. Duane addressed the object in an apologetic tone. 'I’m afraid I don’t speak Clock.'”

Duane continues his explorations and adventures with his new friends, and C.C. - the archetypical wise owl - imparts his vast "knowledge" on each subject.

"Later, when he would tell C.C. about the great adventure, she would explain that the reason for the success was because it was a Thursday. 'Scientifically speaking, Duane,' she would say, 'all good things happen on a Thursday. It’s just basic physics.'”

So funny!

I liken this book to a sort of Winnie the Pooh of the North Pole. But with a polar bear.