King of the Grizzlies

I was first introduced to Whab the grizzly bear & his adventures by my mother. Since then I have often read this book to myself, as a small child, as an adolescent & as a grown man. Over the years Whab has become a true friend & there is something comforting about how the grizzly overcomes the challenges he faces throughout his life. Perhaps his challenges are our challenges. I have read this book to my boys & in their classrooms many times & we have discussed lifes lessons as seen through the eyes of Whab. I often give this book to children & to adults as a present.

I haven't read it in decades. I'm buying a copy for my library - maybe I'll be able to read it to the grandkids - or vice versa :) A fairly short story about the life and death of a grizzly. What stands out in my mind after all these years is the way the aging process is made part of life. Probably best for the budding naturalist rather than those who think predation is a dirty word and all carnivores should be muzzled. A great philosophical work for those who want to teach some of Nature's ways to the young. Its a pretty transparent allegory of our lives. Deals (gently but clearly) with topics like death, fear, competition - winning and loosing. I'd say ages 8 to 13, best read together with your child. (At least the first time!) I also loved his Two Little Savages - about camping & the outdoors.

My grade two teacher read this book for the class many ,many years ago and it truly touched me. A bear cub who is orphaned at the hands of the human learns to cope and survive to one day exact his revenge on the hated human. The book is written through the eyes of the bear it seems and you can't help but feel his pain and rage as he struggles through life alone. Whab, the name of the bear, is taken advantage of as a cub and through life. As he grows and becomes more bitter and angry,he will at times meet up with his old enemies from the woodland and through his eyes they all seem so much smaller now. This book is not all anger and bitterness but has some very tender moments as well. As well as this book is written, I never imagined I could ever feel pity or sympathy for such a creature as a grizzly. Ernest Thompson seton is a gifted writer and I have passed this gift on to many friends and aquaintances over the years. If you are looking for a book that your children will pass on to thier children for generations ; get this book. D.Seguin Edmonton Canada

I acquired this book at age 9-10. Now, at age 75, I really miss it (it was "borrowed" 20-30 yrs ago). My nostalgic memory is of a haunting,memorable, and very literate tale of an excellent bear-person, who resolutely faces what life offers; infancy & vulnerability; growth & education, maturity & strength, suffering fools and agressors, and finally, decline and mortality. Seton's magic is to dissolve completely the artificial barrier between nature's creatures and ourselves.

When Mother read this to me when I was a child, it delighted me and made a huge impression. She enjoyed it as much as I and I could tell she loved sharing this wonderful book with me. It is written for adults as well as children, and is fine literature. The story was so exciting, so touching, realistic, and funny. The end was sad and yet the author made me, a child, see that that is the way things must be; in the end of his life, the old bear must die.