Walt Morey was an award-winning author of numerous works of children's fiction set in the U.S. Pacific Northwestand Alaska, the places where Morey lived for all of his life. His book Gentle Ben was the basis for the 1967 movie Gentle Giant and the 1967-1969 television show Gentle Ben.
He wrote a total of 17 published books, most of which involve as a central plot element the relationship between man and animals. Many of his works involve survival stories, or people going into the wild to "discover" themselves; redemption through nature is a common theme of Morey's works.
How a rare blue bear from lands close to Yakutat, Alaska was brought to the San Diego Zoo. While not much is listed in any book review, the timely hour-by-hour details evolve.