When April learns that she is to spend six months on an uninhabited island in the Arctic with her father, she looks forward to them spending more time together, a consolation after the loss of her mother. But her father is engrossed in his scientific research project so April is left alone to explore the island for amusement.

It's a barren landscape and, though this is Bear Island, April has been told that the polar bears have long disappeared due to the effects of climate change. Yet one night she sees a weak, bedraggled and injured polar bear. She wins its trust and together they forge a very special relationship as April realises that she must find a way for the polar bear to reach a more suitable environment.

It's a wonderful, beautiful, touching and powerful story.

April is a strong, courageous and compassionate character and the storyline, and her relationship with the polar bear, is believable while also being quite magical.

As the story keeps within the bounds of realism, and avoids sentimentalism, the message about our individual responsibility towards caring for the planet and its creatures has a strong impact.

I couldn't stop reading and was in floods of tears at the end! A fantastic book!

Illustrated by Levi Pinfold.