Journey of the Pale Bear

The polar bear is a royal bear, a gift from the King of Norway to the King of England. The first time Arthur encounters the bear, she terrifies him. Yet, strangely, she doesn’t harm him—though she has attacked anyone else who comes near. So, Arthur finds himself taking care of a polar bear on a ship to England. 

Tasked with feeding and cleaning up after the bear, Arthur’s fears slowly lessen as he begins to feel a connection to this bear, who, like him, has been cut off from her family. But the journey holds many dangers, and Arthur knows his own freedom—perhaps even his life—depends on keeping the bear from harm. When pirates attack, Arthur must make a choice—does he do everything he can to save himself, or does he help the bear to find freedom? 

Told from Arthur’s point of view, Journey of the Pale Bear takes readers on an exciting adventure that forces Arthur to decide what is most important in life. When Arthur runs away from home, he plans to travel to Wales, where he will be given his father’s land. However, with no food or money, Arthur steals from a sailor. This action leads to Arthur meeting the doctor, who notices the boy’s special connection with the bear. While on a ship heading towards England, Arthur must contend with the sailor’s cruel behavior as well as his own fears and insecurities. 

Even though the primary story focuses on Arthur’s relationship with the bear, many readers will still relate to the boy’s problems. Arthur misses his dead father, deals with bullying from multiple people, and hopes for a better future. Throughout the story, readers will come to love the bear and admire Arthur’s devotion. With every hardship, Arthur learns more about friendship, found family, and sacrifice, while showing the importance of following your heart. 

Journey of the Pale Bear features many tense, exciting scenes interspersed with Arthur’s thoughts, which allows readers to understand his emotions and reasoning. However, Arthur’s inner thoughts and lengthy descriptions sometimes slow the pacing. Additionally, some readers may be confused by the book’s advanced vocabulary, such as scrim, converged, rouse, and potentate. Nevertheless, the story does an excellent job of showing what life was like in the 1200s and knowing that it is based on true events makes it even more interesting. 

Throughout his journey, Arthur meets several interesting people, including sailors, the doctor, and the English King. However, none of the supporting characters are well-developed. At the beginning of the story, the doctor promises to care for Arthur throughout the journey. Even though the doctor is an important character who shows how essential the father-son relationship is, he doesn’t appear enough for readers to get a picture of his relationship with Arthur. When the doctor offers to care for Arthur, teach him a trade, and give the boy stability, the moment lacks emotional impact. Likewise, when one of the sailors apologizes for mistreating Arthur, the reasons for his apology are unclear, leaving the reader confused. 

Journey of the Pale Bear will appeal to strong readers who love animals and adventure. Arthur is a likable character who is admirable because of his dedication to the bear. This coming-of-age story illustrates how everyone—Arthur, the bear, and the King of England—can never be truly free. However, the heartwarming conclusion highlights that friendship and love create the moments that make life wonderful. 

Sexual Content  

• None 

Violence  

• After stealing food from a sailor named Hauk, Arthur runs off. Hauk and his friend follow Arthur. Hauk grabs the boy and Arthur “kick[s] Hauk’s shin—twice—but then he belly-punched me, and I doubled over from the pain.” 

• After stealing food, Arthur wonders what will happen. Would a constabulary “put me in the stocks? Blind me in one eye? Draw and quarter me?”  

• A man takes Arthur to a tavern where “the drink had had its effect, for now there was singing, there was dancing, there was stomping. . .” Two men were fighting, “biting, poking at eyes, grabbing for hair and ears.” 

• When a sailor named Hauk calls Arthur “Dung Boy,” Arthur “put down my head like a bull and plowed into Hauk’s belly. . . he staggered backward. I laid about him with fist and foot, and felt a satisfying thump as one fist landed squarely on his ribs and then another. . . I fell upon him again, kicking and swinging, but now his hand was on my face.” Another sailor breaks up the fight, but not before “a river of blood was gushing down my chin.” Arthur’s eye is swollen shut, he has cuts on his lip and cheeks, and bruised ribs. 

• Pirates attack the ship that Arthur is on. One of the pirates captures Arthur and demands to see the king’s treasure, not knowing that it is a bear.  “A flash of steel—and then the bear was upon him. The man spat out a curse; then his body rose into the air and seemed to hang there in the thinning fog before it plummeted to the boards and bounced with a sickening thud.” Two men try to stop the bear, “but then a slash of the bear’s great claws had both of them on their backs and one of them spurting blood.” Someone shoots the bear with arrows.  

• After pirates attack, Arthur sees a “body still and broken-looking, lying in a pool of blood. Not far from him lay two other bodies; I saw bloody claw marks where one man’s tunic had been torn.” It is unclear how many people die.  

• After calling Arthur “Dung Boy,” Hauk pushes Arthur into him. “I was on top of him, raising my fist to cuff him hard. He cried out and covered his head with his arms. I checked my punch and flung myself at Hauk, tackling him about the knees.” Hauk grabs a knife, but another sailor breaks up the fight. 

• A group of villagers shoots arrows at the bear. One of the arrows hits Arthur’s ear. “I touched a finger to my wounded ear. It came away wet. . . A hand’s length to the left, and I would have been dead.” 

Drugs and Alcohol  

• Several times, Arthur goes to a tavern where men are drinking.  

• When the bear is injured, the doctor puts sleeping herbs in fish.  

Language  

• A captain of a ship calls Arthur a “rapscallion,” a “little scoundrel,” a “little weasel,” and a “useless boy.” 

• A sailor calls Arthur a “clumsy oaf.” 

• Because Arthur has to clean the bear’s cage, two of the sailors call him “Dung Boy.” 

• Sailors load the bear onto a ship, but they are not careful. The doctor says, “Fools. She’s a living creature, not a tun of ale.” 

• The captain calls the bear a “blasted beast.”  

• After being given to the king, the bear refuses to eat. Arthur tells the bear, “Don’t be a dunderhead—eat!”  

Supernatural 

• None 

Spiritual Content  

• After going days without eating, Arthur steals food from a tavern. He runs off “praying that the sailors behind me would be too lazy or too drunk to follow.” 

• After agreeing to take the bear to England, the captain says, “God only knows what that creature will do in heavy seas. God only knows if the boy will be able to soothe it then.” 

• After pirates attack, Arthur sees a sailor lying on the ground and wonders if he’s dead. “I could feel him breathing beneath me, praise be to God.” 

• Before presenting the bear to the king, Arthur has to change his clothes in front of “God and everyone.”  

• A man tells Arthur to tell “God’s truth,” meaning not to lie.