Beardance

Written by Will Hobbs

Narrated by George Guidall

In Bearstone, 14-year-old Cloyd Atcitty watched as a hunter killed what he thought was the last grizzly bear in Colorado. In this sequel, Cloyd continues his quest to find grizzlies in the mountains. Exploring the Weminuche Wilderness, Cloyd finds a pair of orphaned grizzly cubs. He must draw on his courage, determination, and Ute Indian heritage to teach them how to live in the wild. With winter approaching and food growing scarce, Cloyd must not only ensure the survival of the bears, but return to civilization before starvation and cold kill him. Will Hobbs lives in southwestern Colorado, where he spends much of the year in the mountains, exploring new settings for his books. Beardance is a winner of the Golden Spur Award for Juvenile Fiction, an ALA Best Book for Young Adults, and an ABA Pick of the Lists.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Recorded Books, Inc.
• Release date: Jan 18, 2013
• ISBN: 9781470355241

Will Hobbs

Will Hobbs is the award-winning author of nineteen novels, including Far North, Crossing the Wire, and Take Me to the River. Never Say Die began with the author's eleven-day raft trip in 2003 down the Firth River on the north slope of Canada's Yukon Territory. Ever since, Will has been closely following what scientists and Native hunters are reporting about climate change in the Arctic. When the first grolar bear turned up in the Canadian Arctic, he began to imagine one in a story set on the Firth River. A graduate of Stanford University, Will lives with his wife, Jean, in Durango, Colorado.

Reviews for Beardance

[mathqueen · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This book has won the ALA Best Book for Young Adults award in 1994. The author tells a story of Cloyd, a Ute Indian, who sets out on a life-changing mission to save two grizzly cubs. He knows that if he can protect them until the time of hibernation, they will be safe. All the while, he knows that if he stays with the bears too long, he may not be able to get off the mountains before winter. This book reaches into the deep spiritual world of the Native Americans, and the kinship they feel to animals. Cloyd remembers his grandmother describing a time when a Spirit could go between animal forms and human forms. Cloyd brings this spiritual idea to life as he becomes the cubs’ mother. The other important lesson young adults learn during this story is the idea of perseverance when encountering a task that may seem impossible. Librarians can use this book in several ways. The relationship between animal, spirit and Native American could be researched by middle school students and then an animal could be picked that they could relate to. The author tells of a Native American bear dance using growler sticks. Students could learn more about the topic of dance and music in Native American rituals and even demonstrate some examples.