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    The Children's Book Review

    If Polar Bears Disappeared, by Lily Williams | Book Review

    Dr. Jen HarrisonBy Dr. Jen Harrison3 Mins Read Ages 4-8 Animal Books Best Kids Stories Current Affairs Environment & Ecology Picture Books Science
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    The Children’s Book Review | July 16, 2019

    If Polar Bears DisappearedIf Polar Bears Disappeared

    Written and Illustrated by Lily Williams

    Age Range: 4-8

    Hardcover: 40 pages

    Publisher: Roaring Book Press (2018)

    ISBN: 978-1-250-14319-8

    What to Expect: Science, environment, animals, global warming, and climate change

    One of the purposes of really good children’s books is to raise awareness about potential futures for those who may have to live those futures, and while there is still time to change them. Climate change and global warming are pretty high on the list of these future crises, and Lily Williams’ If Polar Bears Disappeared asks children to consider the critical question of why they should care. It has appeared on shelves just at the same time as David Attenborough’s documentary Our Planet, produced in conjunction with the WWF, is making a splash with the very same question.

    What makes If Polar Bears Disappeared so effective is the subtle use of visual cues. On the front cover, for example, the dotted red line around the bear mimics the “cut here” lines so often present in children’s activity books; not only does this cue wordlessly suggest the possibility of a world without polar bears, but it also implicates the child reader in their disappearance. The hint is minimalistic, but effective. Cheerful cartoon-like illustrations begin at the North Pole, in beautiful scenes teaming with life: narwhals, walruses and seals frolic alongside the bears, as well as an arctic fox, tern, and even arctic hares. The children in their bright winter clothing are enthralled by the life they see all around them. Progressive pages, however, show the effects of global warming on the bears’ habitat, and the reader sees images with fewer and fewer animals and less and less now, until finally only a loan bear family remains, stranded on a tiny island of ice amidst a vast ocean. The visual metaphor is forceful; walking readers step by step through the effects that global warming will have not only on bears but also on the entire planet, and by extension on themselves. The volume ends not with a feeble suggestion that the reader should recycle more, use less water, or turn out the lights, but with a powerful call for education about global warming. This is a timely and well-conceived addition to the genre of climate change.

    You may also enjoy If Sharks Disappeared and If Elephants Disappeared (coming soon).

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    About the Author-Illustrator

    Lily Williams grew up in Northern California, where she graduated with high distinction from California College of the Arts with a BFA in animation. Her books for children include If Sharks Disappeared and If Polar Bears Disappeared.

    Williams seeks to inspire change in the world, engage audiences, and educate all ages in her practice of visual development, illustration, and animation. Her work can be seen in film, print, and classrooms around the world, and has been used to get legislation passed in the United States Senate.

    If Polar Bears Disappeared, written and illustrated by Lily Williams, was reviewed by Dr. Jen Harrison. Discover more books like If Polar Bears Disappeared by following along with our reviews and articles tagged with Climate Change Books, Environmental, Global Warming, Lily Williams, Non-Fiction, Picture Book, and Polar Bears.

    What to Read Next:

    1. Lily Williams Discusses the If Animals Disappeared Series
    2. If Elephants Disappeared, by Lily Williams | Book Review
    3. Footprints Across the Planet | Dedicated Review
    4. Jennifer Swanson Discusses Footprints Across the Planet

    *Disclosure: Please note that this post may contain affiliate links that share some commission. Rest assured that these will not affect the cost of any products and services promoted here. Our team always provides their authentic opinion in all content published on this site.

    Animals Bear Books Climate Change Books Environmental Global Warming If Animals Disappeared Series Lily Williams Non-Fiction Picture Book Polar Animals Polar Bears Political Science Roaring Book Press
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    Dr. Jen Harrison
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    Dr. Jen Harrison provides writing and research services as the CEO of Read.Write.Perfect. She completed her Ph.D. in Children’s and Victorian Literature at Aberystwyth University in Wales, in the UK. After a brief spell in administration, Jen then trained as a secondary school English teacher and worked for several years teaching Secondary School English, working independently as a private tutor of English, and working in nursery and primary schools. She has been an editor for the peer-reviewed journal of children’s literature, Jeunesse, and has published academic work on children’s non-fiction, YA speculative fiction, and the posthuman.

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