ON THIN ICE

The polar bear is the classic symbol of climate change.  We see the bears on calendar covers and the little cubs, with their adorable fluffiness, melt our hearts.  If only it were just our hearts that were melting.  As a science teacher I felt a need to educate and inspire young readers.   Interestingly, I consulted a renowned polar bear scientist just before formatting the manuscript.  He expressed that the tale isn't truly scientific, in that the bears live to see another day.   Nonfiction books are certainly worthwhile, but I wanted to write a gripping story about how the individual bears are truly affected.  This story portrays a mother and her three month old cub, newly out of the den, searching for food.   

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Yasemin, a wonderful water color artist, lives in Turkey.   It was easy to communicate, each of us responding to the other within twenty four hours.  She drew a story board for the entire book, then painted each illustration in the order she chose.  Although it was a temptation to control each image, ultimately it was a pleasure to watch the characters come to life in her beautiful illustrations.     On Thin Ice can be enjoyed by readers of all ages.