The first book to be read in preparation for our trip to the North Herts Book Awards ceremony is 'Dreaming the Bear' by Mimi Thebo.
This novel actually divided opinion amongst our members, with some rating it more highly than others.
But first, what does the blurb tell us? Well it starts off with introducing us to our protagonist, a girl called Darcy.
"When I get up, there's nobody home. Even Mum has gone out. The note says, 'I have to check my emails. I'll snowmobile to the meltline and be back soon. XX Mummy'.
And I think, 'Good. I can feed my bear...'"
We learn that Darcy is recovering from a severe illness in her parents' cabin, spending most of her days alone, until she comes face to face with a grizzly bear; this encounter blossoms into a surprising friendship.
The setting is gorgeous; Yellowstone National Park in Montana, with so much description, you almost feel like you are there with Darcy and the bear. However, it is this description which divided our BOOKClub members:
"It's a bit slow." "There's too much description; not enough action." "I like books that make you want to turn the page; this one went on too long describing the setting."
"I like how it's described as if you're there." "I don't know anything about places like that, so the description helped."
The other element that split the group in two was the ending. Without giving away any spoilers, this was a real discussion point. Some of us thought it was a nice change to have an unexpected ending like this - particularly in a book for children. Others would have preferred a more typical ending.
Overall, this is a book we would recommend, but only if you're not a fan of fast-paced, non-stop action!
