Spirit Bear Echoes Of The Past

Deep in the heart of the Great Bear Rainforest, little Sitka embarks on a journey that will change his life forever. He must track down the truth about who he is and risk his life in the process. The closer Sitka gets to his quest, the more the danger grows. Can Sitka handle the secret once it is finally revealed?Join him in this amazing adventure as Sitka finds out where he belongs, his true purpose, and a message of hope for his Clan and the World.

A classic work of nature and wildlife, Spirit Bear is the captivating story of wilderness guide and naturalist Charles Russell’s quest to understand the rare spirit bear of British Columbia’s Princess Royal Island — now updated and reissued with a new design and an afterword by the author. From early experiences observing black bears in the Rocky Mountains with his father, the well-known writer and broadcaster Andy Russell, to nerve-racking encounters with grizzlies in British Columbia’s Khutzeymateen Valley, Charles Russell has spent a lifetime studying bears in their natural habitat. In 1991, Russell visited Princess Royal Island, an uninhabited island off the coast of British Columbia. There, amidst the rivers and trees of the western rainforest, he encountered the elusive spirit bear. Known to scientists as the Kermode bear and to the public as the white, ghost, or spirit bear, these extraordinary animals have never been exposed to civilization. In Spirit Bear, Russell recounts his experiences on Princess Royal Island — trekking over rocks and through streams; waiting hours for the evasive ghost bear to appear; and finally coming face-to-face with a spirit bear only inches from his nose. Illustrated with more than 100 stunning colour photographs, Spirit Bear provides beautiful and astonishing insight into the habits and nature of the Kermode bear, and is part of an ongoing effort by conservationists to save Princess Royal Island as a sanctuary for these remarkable animals.

Words spoken through the mists of time: Trustwe love with pure heart, pure intent! Truthwe seek that which cannot be seen! Soulwe touch that which cannot be felt! Bitternesswe taste that which does not pass our lips! Successwe smell that which so sweetly does it hold the senses, yet of aroma it has none! Logicwe understand the concept of life, yet do know not how! Emotionswe heal the wounds within where scars do not show, yet go deeper than most! This book is about the struggles of a proud and resilient people whose way of life was to be altered without thought for their traditions or culture as the white men infiltrated deeper and deeper into their lands. It reflects their way of life before it changed, and the effect it was to have on a nation ground down by ignorance and greed. There are many reasons for this work, and spirit laid no blame on those perpetrators; the main reason they have come forward now is the need to see our world saved from the power struggle going on between nations, and the rape of our beautiful lands. Having been taken on many journeys with them, I understand so clearly how the indomitable spirit of this culture must stay alive, this being the reason for every word channeled. To walk in shadow of sun is natural; to walk in shadow of another man is not. A Hand Held Out I am being shown a beautiful babbling brook. The sun is glistering on its surface as a thousand lights dancing with joy. A hand is being held out to me. I have to trust that all will be revealed as I walk into the picture. I can smell the newness of the morning, and sweet Bird song assails my ears. My (as yet to introduce himself) friend, tells me I am being taken on a journey of learning. So I follow... I follow a voice... a hand... I listen and I wait. I spy Red Squirrel scurrying around foraging among fallen leaves for nuts. They do not notice me, for I am not really there, only in the sense of illusion. Trailing along the brook i am shown a beautiful little Pawnee child. She is playing in the water with a small dog that is yapping and running in circles around the child who is giggling and laughing at its antics. I feel as though I am watching this on a cinema screen, and yet I am being pulled into the scene by some unknown force.

Star is a Spirit Bear cub born in the Great Bear Rainforest. Join in her adventures as she learns about the forest and the other animals that live there through the wise teachings of mother bear Aurora. A special friend, Raven, introduces Star to legends of the past. Not only is Star's story fun and exciting to read but informative too. It's a chance to learn about a place that really does exist. And every page is beautifully illustrated."This fascinating animal from the bear family began to interest me a few years ago," says Pattie Brooks Anderson, author and illustrator. "The more I learned about these rarely seen creatures, the more intrigued I became. Ultimately, I was compelled to write "Star and Raven's Legend, The Spirit Bears of the Great Bear Rainforest" to honor their existence and to bring awareness to the precarious fate of their world--The Great Bear Rainforest in British Columbia. I hope that children will enjoy Star's adventures and be inspired to protect our earth and all its inhabitants . . . of which we are a part."

Children aged 7 - 12 and young adults can identify with the plight of this orphaned bear and his search for his family on Princess Royal Island. He feels lost and alone and is given his purpose by his new-found friends - The Black Blamer and Ernie the Great Blue Heron. Children of this age group feel angst over "who am I?", "how do I fit in my family?", "why am I not accepted by the others?" and "what does my future hold? "and are developing insight and abstract thinking - as is my spirit bear. The grand adventure he embarks on when he escapes the zoo with the help of the Black Blamer is filled with action, danger, discovery and friendship.