The Last Bear
Hannah Gold
April goes with her father to spend six months on Bear Island, a remote spot in the Arctic, where he is busy with his work and she is mostly alone. Everyone says there are no polar bears left on the island, but one day, out exploring by herself, April finds that she is not alone.
- Length
- About 35,000 words
- To read it
- About 24 days
- Stage
- Key Stage 2
Reading time at 1,500 words a day, the pace we start from until we know your child’s own.
Where it is taught
Why The Last Bear is on the list
- Year 5, Core. The books most schools teach in this year. A good place to start.
Reading it here
What your child does with it
- 1
Choose it and set a finish date
You get a suggested target from the length of the book and your child's reading pace.
- 2
Check in along the way
A longer book has short check-ins every week or two, so it keeps moving and nothing is forgotten.
- 3
Answer two questions
When they finish: a review of the book, and a deeper question about how it works.
- 4
Get it marked, and redraft
Every answer is marked against the rubric for their year, with a reason for every score.