The target audience for this book is kids - but it was fun to read a little about bears and see some of Joel's amazing pictures. It is informational (I learned that Grizzly bears and Brown bears are the same species - Ursus arctos), easy to read - lots of pictures, large type, tells us about habits of bears, their habitats, diets, and what to do to help save bears. And he tells a story about how he came face to face with a bear and lived to tell the tale.
Apparently the fishing bears or Brooks Falls, Alaska are famous and people gather there to photograph them fishing for salmon. Joel was there in July surrounded by people and bears. Late in the day he was heading back to his campsite about a mile away. Within seconds of his walk, he encountered a large female bear with two cubs. The bear saw Joel and immediately she "bounded down the hill, head down, mouth foaming. She was braced, ready to spring. She didn't roar; her mouth was closed. Her stare was intense. They tell you not to run if a grizzly charges you. That was not a problem for me. I didn't remember that I even had legs at that point. I lowered my eyes, apologized softly, and slowly backed up. The standoff lasted only ten seconds or so. She shorted and trotted back up the hill."
This was a cute book, definitely suited for kids - informative, great pictures, and a nice conservation message.
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