Backyard Bear

by Anne Rockwell, Megan Halsey (Illustrations)

Bears belong in the woods―they can find everything they need to survive there. But what happens when people start knocking down trees and building houses where the woods used to be? This young black bear is about to find out. He wakes one spring to find his territory completely changed. When the curious bear dares to come closer and closer to the houses, he discovers backyards and trashcans are an easy place to find food. But it's dangerous for people and bears to live so close together. What will happen when the bear is discovered right in someone's backyard?

Genres: Picture Books, Animals, Childrens

32 pages, Hardcover

First published October 3, 2006

Reviews

[Lynn Davidson · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a good story to show how people are intruding on the natural habitat of wildlife. In this story a bear is bringing up her cub in the forest, but one spring they come out of hibernation to find that much of their territory has changed. People have taken down trees and built houses so that now where the bears used to forage is people's backyards. This becomes a problem for everyone. The reader learns about the negative effect on wild animals and how they are often the ones that have to be relocated.

[Cheryl · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fine, move the bear to a forest. Where surely there are other bears already. Just so you can a have a shiny new neighborhood. I guess I'm expecting too much from a book meant for a preschool classroom.

[Alicia Quirk · Rating 4 out of 5]

My current life.....

[Megan · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a good book, but it made me more sad than anything else.

[Misbah · Rating 3 out of 5]

A black bear is forced out of his home in the forest when people start building homes in the area. When the humans notice him around they have the bear moved to a different post of the forest where he can roam free.

Is sad how many animals actually go through this. Can't imagine being forced out of my home.

[Samantha Penrose · Rating 3 out of 5]

Pretty illustrations.
This book starts out very touching...big mama bear, a newborn baby bear...the big bad construction crew....it just seems to miss the mark for me though. I feel like more emphasis should have been put on the fact that the people destroyed and rebuilt upon the bears land. The poor bear in the story ended up being lured, trapped, sedated and relocated!
There is an author's note in the back of the book about bears becoming dependant on people for food (bird feeders, garbage, etc)....she is genuinely concerned for the bears and their independence.....but suggesting ways to keep bears away by locking things up in bear proof containers is only solving part of the problem. If we steal all of the bears land to build fancy bear proof houses, where exactly are the bears supposed to go?!
I feel for the bears in the story, not the mother/child in the fancy house afraid of the bear in their yard.....

[The Brothers · Rating 3 out of 5]

A a little bear lives a wonderful life with mother until one day she leaves him because he is old enough to be on his own. Unfortunately, a new housing development is built in his woods and instead of going elsewhere, he starts relying on the garbage of the people to live. Eventually his is caged, tranquilized, and sent to another part of the forest where no humans live.

Okay illustrations.

[Paula · Rating 4 out of 5]

An interesting and candor non fictional picture book about a black bear. First a cub and in the protection of his mother but when she leaves him alone his area is changed into a housing development. Finding food in garbage cans instead of the wild which makes him a thread to the people who live there.Beautiful soft colored illustrations makes this a great read

[Lauren Owens · Rating 3 out of 5]

Backyard Bear is a sad story that can be used in lesson about how urbanization affects the habitats of animals. It also touches what bears need to survive and what their habitats look like. Use with caution as book may evoke sad emotions.
Recommended grade level: 1-3

[Christy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Backyard Bear by Anne Rockwell (2006)

[Ardis · Rating 3 out of 5]

pretty appropriate for all suburban areas these days. The illustrations are very pretty.

[Pinky · Rating 2 out of 5]

Bear gets separated from his mother as a cub. Thanks to all the new home construction bear loses his home and is relocated elsewhere.