I received an eARC of this book from the publisher in exchange for a review--but it should have come with a warning. Because I was all of three chapters into this story when I realized, "Wait? It's a sequel?" and immediately ordered the first book from my bookstore to read first. There's really no reason they must be read in order--but it's a tribute to the author's skill that I decided to buy Book 1 sight unseen, confident my children and I would love it.
Like Winnie-the-Pooh, the Very, Very Far North is people with quirky, flawed, but goodhearted characters. Without being preachy, they teach so much about friendship, selflessness, and love. I guess I've had enough mean spiritedness this year, so this book was a welcome respite.

We have been experiencing some really tense days lately, so it was such a pleasure to return to the very, very far north and the always charming polar bear Duane, who has just woken up from a long winter's nap. Venturing out of his cave, he finds his friends all waiting for him. There's C.C, the scholarly snowy owl, puffin Major Puff, arctic hare Twitch, Magic, the arctic fox, Handsome, the musk ox, and of course, shy caribou Boo (yes, you may recall how talented Duane is at naming his friends from the first book).

But a long winter's nap has left Duane hungry, and so the friends all decide to picnic down on the Fabulous Beach. But, lately there is a new presence in the very, very far north, a sarcastic weasel who loves to cause disruption and trouble. Duane first meets him in his cave where the no-name weasel informs him that, well, his life isn't happy and wonderful as he thinks it is. Sooner or later, cracks begin to form in friendships, and friends drift further and further apart.

Always the optimist, Duane doesn't buy the weasel's point of view, until...maybe the weasel is right. For example, when Major Puff realizes it's time to migrate south, he also thinks that this year he really doesn't want to go. All kinds of dreadful things could happen while flying back and forth, and besides, the burrow he shares with Twitch is so warm and comfortable. Leave it to the weasel to convince Major Puff to head south despite his reservations by casting doubt that his friends really care about him.

But most egregious of all is when the nameless weasel sets Magic to discover shy Boo's secret, and at the weasel's urging, he in turn inadvertently sets up Duane, Handsome, C.C., and Major Puff up to witness it. When Boo realizes that they have discovered it, she is beyond devastated. How could friends betray her like that? Some secrets are just not meant to be shared.

These two incidents and more certainly make it feel as though the weasel is right about friendships...or maybe he's at the center of all the trouble. But just when it seems that Duane's gentle, pleasant circle of friends are about to drift apart, Duane takes a thinking walk and comes up with what he hopes will be the perfect solution for repairing the cracks that have formed, before they get too deep.

Just Beyond the Very, Very Far North is every bit gentle and calming as the first that introduced readers to Duane and friends, The Very, Very Far North. There's a lot of emotional growing in these latest adventures - learning the saying you are sorry to someone often isn't enough, instead action speaks louder than words, that that turns out to be the case with Boo and her friends. And taking responsibility for your actions is an important lesson for Magic. But most of all, forgiveness is the hardest lesson.

I really enjoyed spending more time with Duane and friends. Life at the moment is a little chaotic for everyone, and Dan Bar-el's novels are a great escape from all that. Young readers will find that besides the messages regarding friends, there is plenty of humor throughout the story, as well as lots of little details about everyone's arctic life. And readers of the first book will be happy to see the reappearance of the Sun Girl and her Pack playing an important part this this story.

Just Beyond the Very, Very Far North is an ideal book for lower middle grade readers and reluctant readers, as well as kids who love animal stories. I can't recommend it highly enough.

This book is recommended for readers age 8+
This book was an eARC gratefully received from the publisher.

Just Beyond the Very, Very Far North was a welcome continuation of the first book. All my favorite characters returned, along with a new favorite or two. Reading this book to my children was an activity that elicited mutual joy, a much needed feeling during a challenging year. My hat is off to Dan Bar-el for creating this world where excitement and childlike wonder abound, with a healthy dose of kindness and friendship as well.

The friends in this book have the gentleness of the Winnie the Pooh tales.
When I requested and read this book, I wasn’t aware it was a sequel to The Far Far North. The book is good as a stand-alone.
Duane is a polar bear and the far far north is where he has adventures with his arctic friends. C.C., Handsome the musk ox, Major Puff, Twitch and the rest of that odd bunch.
But as real life goes, every now and then an unfriendly guest shows up. Duane and the others discover that life isn’t always as peaceful as an afternoon nap. But truly, they understand that change is as much a part of life as picnics, and blankets, and the cozy stories they share.
I describe this book as delightful and magical.
The soft illustrations certainly enhance the story.
This might be a fun read aloud to 2nd or 3rd grade.

In this sequel to Bar-el’s book The Very, Very Far North, Duane the polar bear faces new challenges—most of which originate with the weasel. You guessed it, the weasel darts around the arctic community sowing seeds of discontent amongst Duane and his friends. His ‘suggestions’ sound logical, but when carried out, bring discontent to the happy inhabitants of Duane’s community.

Told by an anonymous, omniscient narrator, the action unfolds at a pace perfect for reading aloud to younger kids. Duane, the consummate peacemaker, deals with making good choices, navigating difficult friendships, and helping the community make reparations when they go astray.

Bar-el walks a fine line between story-telling and pontificating, and usually stays on the kid-friendly side of story-telling. I haven’t read a story like this since my dad read Uncle Arthur’s Bedtime Stories to me as a kid. I’m not sure how today’s youngsters will react to the tone and omniscient narration. Who knows, maybe a new generation is ready for a new kind of storytelling. Duane teaches readers great problem-solving skills when it comes to emotional intelligence and his search for the Walrus is a poignant description of how to help someone who struggles with depression.

When I received this eARC, I immediately checked out Bar-el’s first installment in this series. It was delightful!

For me, this story wasn’t quite as magical, but it is still a really lovely book that I will happily add to my boys’ home library. The cast of characters is so fun and lovable and the wonder that this story creates is definitely on par with some of my family’s most beloved books.

Though I only mention a few themes addressed in this book, I must add that to me this book is undefinable as was the author's earlier work with this group of characters. Such an odd bunch of characters with each having quite distinct personalities and foibles and yet becoming true friends. Duane, the Polar Bear is in some sense takes on the mediator role. Yet in this book his friends are the ones to see him through a most difficult time. This book introduces a villain, for lack of a better word. Certainly Weasel is a character that is a trickster and is up to no good, allowing jealousy and selfishness to be his motivating emotions. Thank goodness Duane and company get through his maneuverings, not without their share of hurtful moments. Readers will learn about faithfulness, trust, the love of friendship as well as bits of science and confronting things that are uncomfortable in order to get through to the other side of one's growth. The author's clever use of a narrator brings some delightful moments: readers are not always made privy to the knowledge that the narrator possesses and that makes for a better tale. Wonder is at the heart of this story in so many ways. This tale, and the one that precedes, should find a place for on personal bookshelves of children as well as adults, much like The Little Prince, I think. It is rich in its simplicity and far-reaching in its closeness. In a world where True North is revered as a destination of a soul, than the title of this book takes on new meaning. Readers who journey forth with Duane and his friends will explore, discover, and learn much about themselves and their world.

In Just Beyond the Very, Very Far North we once again get to spend time with Duane and his delightful band of friends in the Very, Very Far North. I was unfortunately less impressed with this than our first adventure with Duane the Polar Bear but it is still a fun and enjoyable read overall. This installment didn't have quite the same sense of wonder and and joy of the first one and I think that is what let me down. The introduction of a rather loathsome new creature and the seeds of discontent that he sowed among our beloved friends just soured the mood right from the start of this book and that was hard to get over. I do hope to see more of Duane and I hope that we get back to the themes curiosity for its own sake and finding joy in the world around us.

I love Dan Bar-el. The book that proceeded this one and this one are two of the cutest, sweetest books I have ever read. I have been reading everything I can find by this author. Must have for any collection

First sentence: If you head north, true north, to the truly north part of north, where icebergs shiver, where thermometers lose confidence, and where snowflakes prefer to avoid, and then once you reach that north, you go just a little bit further north, that’s where you’ll find Duane the polar bear and his friends.

Premise/plot: Just Beyond the Very, Very Far North is the second book in Dan Bar-el's animal fantasy. It starts Duane, C.C., Magic, Handsome, Major Puff, Twitch, and Boo. The book chronicles their adventures and misadventures and centers largely around their friendships. Think Winnie the Pooh but in the Arctic.

My thoughts: I have not read the first book. I would love, love, love to read the first book but haven't tracked down a copy yet. Would reading the second book first prove confusing? Not really. I soon found my way into this created fantasy world. I would still read the first book if I come across it. But I wasn't lost or confused by the relationships.

What he saw inside the grandfather clock, among the weights and chains, the pendulum and other metal doodads noisily flaying about, was a small, furry creature who appeared to be in the middle of a big, furious tantrum. Did I mention it was a Monday? It was a Monday. All stories involving overly loud characters begin on a Monday. What I have just described is known commonly as a stoat or an ermine, or what I will now refer to as a weasel. The fact that he would distinguish himself further by saying he was a short-tailed weasel, when his tail is obviously fairly long, only begins to demonstrate just how badly this creature knows himself. In any case, whatever he was, Duane had never laid eyes on one before.



A thinking walk is different from an adventure hike. In fact, it may be the exact opposite.

"Just Beyond the Very, Very Far North" is a chapter book from Dan Bar-el. The book features a wonderful cast of characters, each unique in their own way. I agree with previous discussions that the book does have a Winnie-the-Pooh feel , but the book is more edgy and has characters with some more spunk. Our family loves animals, so the characters were engaging and we enjoyed discussing the different animals. Although I saw it mentioned that the book is a beginner chapter book, I found that some of the vocabulary in it might be better for middle grade and not truly a beginner chapter book reader. Overall, our family loved this one but it was written above the reader levels for our specific house.