Mark Yean Yean itibaren Komarivtsi, Chernivets'ka oblast, Ukraine
As we begin this delightful tale we meet Grendel, a polar bear and Serenity, a brown bear cub, and several others as the story moves on. Grendel is tired. He has been floating on a big piece of ice all the way from the Arctic Sea just to get to Honey Hollow. Why? Because his home land is being destroyed, and his life was at risk. He had to reach Honey Hollow where there is clean water, the air is pure and life is great. Grendel shares with the other bears at Honey Hollow all that is happening to his land back home, and they share with him their stories as well. Man has invaded all of their spaces, causing death and misery. The problem worsens when suddenly man invades Honey Hollow and a solution must be found before all the bears are destroyed. The bears turn to a very unlikely source for help, children. Will the bears and the children be able to stop the destruction that is taking place? You will have to read this book to find out. The Legend of Honey Hollow is a wonderful book. The illustrations are absolutely adorable, and the expressions on the bears add so much to each situation that they are experiencing, whether it be a joyous or troublesome one. I also enjoyed the identification of the different bears and where they lived. The story is a sad one, in part, but one that I applaud the author for sharing. Jeanne McNaney brings to life the environmental issues that the bears of the world are facing. She did a great job in bringing the bears down to a level where children (and adults) can relate to them in a personal way, thus making their problems, which are our problems as well, more real. Not only does she bring to light the environmental problems, but she shows how working in unity for one common good can bring victory. I feel she also brings out the importance animals have in our world, something that is often overlooked by many. The Legend of Honey Hollow is a book that every child and adult should read. In our fast paced world we tend to forget the sacrifices taking place and the harm that is being done to those who share it with us, just to have more of one thing or another. We need to stop and think before we plunge into another's space on this earth, be it human or animal, and realize the consequences of our actions. Very well done. Highly recommended.