The Girl Who Speaks Bear
by Sophie Anderson
Interest age: 9 to 11
Reading age: 9+
Published by Usborne, 2019
About this book
Yanka has always felt like an outsider – found in a bear cave when she was a baby and raised by her foster mother Mamochka, she's always wondered where she came from.
But when something very unusual begins to happen to her, it's the push she needs to leave her village on a quest to discover her family, her origins and who she really is.
Sophie Anderson's follow-up to The House with Chicken Legs is another wonderful adventure, drawing heavily on Russian folk tales to bring us a gripping tale of dragons, bears and magic.
As Yanka's quest unfolds, young readers will not only be captivated by the peril and dangers she faces, but also by the underlying themes of friendship, identity and family.
And it's impossible not to root for Yanka, who is growing and learning as she goes, making some valuable discoveries along the way.
Marvellously-drawn characters and a timeless style of prose – along with the inclusion of traditional folk tales, all related to Yanka's story – come together to make The Girl Who Speaks Bear almost impossible to put down.
A real treat of a book.
More books like this
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The Snow Girl
by Sophie Anderson, illustrated by Melissa Castrillon
9 to 12 years
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The Thief who Sang Storms
by Sophie Anderson, illustrated by Joanna Lisowiec
9 to 12 years
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The House With Chicken Legs
by Sophie Anderson
9 to 12+ years
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Shrapnel Boys
by Jenny Pearson
9 to 12 years
Lists of recommended reads
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