Bear-ology: Fascinating Bear Facts, Tales & Trivia
Naturalist-writer Dolson is the executive director of the Get Bear Smart Society, a group dedicated to teaching humans about living with bears. Her purpose in penning this paean to the Ursidae is to “promote a deeper understanding of these intelligent and vulnerable animals.” In short sections, she covers topics as wide-ranging as myths about bears, constellations, the eight species of bears, bear biology, spirit bears, and bears in language. Using a question-and-answer format, Dolson conveys a quantity of bear trivia—the largest bear, the size of cubs, where bears are found, names derived from bear, aggressive bears. A helpful section details regions where tourists can safely view bears. A short quiz at the end tests the reader’s “bear smarts,” recipes for such items as bear claws are included, and profiles of some bear researchers complete the text. An excellent selection for libraries in bear country and a useful addition elsewhere. --Nancy Bent