Bears (Sierra Club Wildlife Library) [Hardcover]

Ian Stirling (Author), R. D. Lawrence (Editor), Aubrey Lang (Photographer)

Book Description

Age Level: 9 and up | Series: Sierra Club Wildlife Library

Text and photographs introduce the origins, evolution, habitats, behavior, and life cycles of the eight present-day species of bears.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 4-6-- An attractive volume that offers descriptions and comparisons of all eight species of bears, including up-to-date research that places the panda in the bear family. Physical, behaviorial, and historical facts are spelled out; photographs and drawings are clear and informative with the exception of a murky-colored map that shows where bears live. Research methods for studying the animals are explained; data exists only on female polar bears because the males' necks are wider than their heads and their radio collars fall off. Stirling's love and respect for these largest of bears are conveyed as he engagingly narrates sketches of them raising and teaching their young, playing, and hunting. Photographs of polar bears do seem to dominate, though all bears are well represented. Specialized vocabulary is italicized and defined in context; logical organization and a detailed index make this a good choice for reports. Dorothy Hinshaw Patent's Bears of the World (Holiday, 1980; o.p.) is a more comprehensive overview, but it is not as visually appealing. --Susan Oliver, Tampa-Hillsborough County Public Library System
Copyright 1992 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Review

This is another in a series of excellent books by Bobbie Kalman for students in primary and junior grades. The information is useful and interesting -- School Librarians' Book Reviews, Hamilton-Wentworth Roman Catholic Separate School Board, ON, Feb. 1997 --This text refers to the Library Binding edition.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 9 and up
  
• Hardcover: 64 pages
• Publisher: Sierra Club Juveniles; 1st edition (April 1992)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0871565749
• ISBN-13: 978-0871565747
• Product Dimensions: 11.1 x 8.5 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.3 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #7,632,310 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars And this time Complete means complete., January 3, 2005

By 

Ned Middleton (British professional underwater photo-journalist & author) - See all my reviews
(TOP 500 REVIEWER)   

This review is from: Bears: A Complete Guide to Every Species (Hardcover)

Don't you just hate it when you have questions on some subject and you purchase a book which is described as a "Complete Guide" to that subject only to find it isn't a complete guide at all... Then you just get annoyed because of the wasted money.

Well, this book is not a waste of money simply because it is exactly what it says in the title - A complete guide to every species of Bear. And what a guide it is too. Just as soon as the book arrived I sat down to glance through the pages. I like to get a feel for every book I am about to review and I need to see what the format and photography is like before I settle down to some serious reading.

The first thing that caught my eye was the list of contributors. 18 of the 32 names were Doctors and all of them eminent in the field of Bears, Zoology and other related aspects. Then there are the photographs - every one of which is of a "National Geographic" standard. Finally, I found the graphics to be quite excellent.

All that was left was to read the book and over the next few days it was hard to put down. I found myself describing the "Festival of the Slain Bear" to my wife and then saying something very different like "did you know that when a fully grown adult Polar Bear sands upright - they can reach 12 feet high."

This is an easy-to-read informative book supported by photography of the highest calibre and first class illustrations. If you want to know anything at all about Bears - and I do mean any species, I am sure you will find it in here. If you want to photograph Bears, these pictures will give you a standard to aim for. In fact this is probably the only book on Bears you will ever need.

NM