Shortlisted for the 2010 Silver Birch Award
In 1916, at the height of the First World War, a Canadian teddy bear travelled all the way to France in a care package destined for Lawrence Browning Rogers--a gift from his ten-year-old daughter, Aileen. When Teddy returned from the front lines, more than a year later, he did so alone: Lieutenant Rogers, along with many other Canadian soldiers, died at the battle of Passchendaele.
Today, Teddy resides in a glass display case at the Canadian War Museum--one of the most beloved exhibits in the building. Small and brown and nothing at all like a modern stuffed bear, Teddy has an amazing story to tell. In 2002 Lawrence`s granddaughter, Roberta Rogers Innes, found Teddy, the letters and other war memorabilia inside a large family briefcase. As she delved deeper, Roberta discovered how a Canadian family`s strength was tested during the First World War and how a tiny bear became an enduring memento of their love.
Now, in A Bear in War, Stephanie Innes (Roberta`s daughter) and Harry Endrulat share Teddy`s remarkable story--from his life in East Farnham, Quebec, and his voyage overseas to his eventual journey home. Each chapter in Teddy`s tale is brought to life through Brian Deines` poignant art. The result is a powerful, moving piece of literature--a picture book destined to become a Canadian classic.
A Bear in War has been nominated for the Vancouver Children?s Literature Round Table information Book Award
