Bears: A Year in the Life

by Matthias Breiter

When first published, Bears received excellent reviews and sold particularly well. The book focuses on an entire year in the lives of the three bear species found in North America -- the brown bear, the black bear and the polar bear. Matthias Breiter shows how these widely feared but rarely encountered animals hunt, feed, play, mate and breed. Based on the bears' yearly cycle, from when they awaken from hibernation and give birth in February through the return of winter and another hibernation, the book Bears is lavishly illustrated with more than 125 remarkable color photographs taken in the wild. By shattering myths and revealing unusual facts, this book increases the understanding of these magnificent creatures.

Genres: Animals, Nonfiction

176 pages, Paperback

First published September 1, 2005

Reviews

[Chloe · Rating 5 out of 5]

Unsurprisingly, I loved this book. I love bears.

Matthias Breiter's writing is brilliant. He is able to both write the science and facts in an accessible way whilst simultaneously weaving the stories of the bears throughout. The book is a great base to learn about the three species of bear living in North America, with small pieces of information on the other five bear species included.

[Therese Brink · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is about the bears of North America - polar bears, and black and brown bears. The book is organized by month. For each month, the life of each bear species is compared. For example, for the month of November hibernation is the main topic under discussion. The author compares the different hibernations of each species of bear and the scientific reason behind those differences. His explanation of hibernation is very interesting and is written so that a non-scientist can understand what the author is writing about.

Each chapter is lavished with excellent photography that illustrate the points being made. One of the photos the author includes is of a hyper-obese female bear at denning time. It is a fantastic photograph that accompanies the text, and it helps illustrate why female bears need to pack on a lot of fat before they hibernate.

Bears is a wonderful book.

[Gabrielle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Bears! My favorite animal!
I received this one Christmas from my wonderful parents. I was delighted by the wonderful photography and knowledge. The information has intrigued and mesmerized me. I love flipping through it and reviewing information, catching new knowledge, and enjoying the wonderful photos.
This is a book that i would recommend to wildlife lovers, bear lovers like myself, and anyone who loves to learn about the nature and creatures surrounding us daily.

[Amy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I cannot honestly say that I read every word in this book, but I read a good portion of it. This book would be interesting for anyone who has even a passing interest in bears. AND, the color photographs are phenomenal!

[Nadiya · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fascinating story of bears in North America month by month, starting from February when a new cub is born. Photos accompanying the text are exceptional!