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Dan Bar-el
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The Very, Very Far North Kindle Edition

by Dan Bar-el (Author), Kelly Pousette (Illustrator) Format: Kindle Edition
4.6 4.6 out of 5 stars 439 ratings
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“Wonderfully follows in the tradition of A. A. Milne’s Winnie the Pooh stories...Endearing...Will win over young readers in a heartbeat.” —Booklist (starred review)
“Quirky and imaginative—postmodern storytelling at its best.” —Kirkus Reviews

An inquisitive polar bear named Duane befriends an array of animals as he discovers where he belongs in this charming classic-in-the making.

In the Very, Very Far North, past the Cold, Cold Ocean and just below the hill that looks like a baby whale, you’ll find Duane and his friends.

Duane is a sweet and curious young bear who makes friends with everyone he meets—whether they’re bossy, like Major Puff the puffin, or a bit vain, like Handsome the musk ox, or very, very shy, like Boo the caribou. For these arctic friends, every day is a new adventure!
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  1. Reading age
    5 - 9 years, from customers
  2. Book 1 of 2
    The Very, Very Far North
  3. Print length
    289 pages
  4. Language
    English
  5. Grade level
    3 - 6
  6. Lexile measure
    840L
  7. Publisher
    Atheneum Books for Young Readers
  8. Publication date
    September 3, 2019
  9. Page Flip
    Enabled
  10. Word Wise
    Enabled
  11. Enhanced typesetting
    Enabled
  12. Sticky notes
    On Kindle Scribe
  13. ISBN-13
    978-1534433410
  14. See all details
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Editorial Reviews

Review

* “Wonderfully follows in the tradition of A. A. Milne’s Winnie the Pooh stories. . . . Pousette’s soft pencil illustrations work in absolute harmony with the text, accomplishing the seemingly impossible task of making this book even more endearing. Gentle humor, a personable narrative voice, and some elevated vocabulary fortify the simple, character-driven adventures, which will win over young readers in a heartbeat.” (Booklist, starred review )

"Quirky and imaginative—postmodern storytelling at its best." (Kirkus Reviews )

“Duane is kin to Winnie the Pooh, with an affable nature and an endearing cluelessness that leads to moments of sage wisdom. The fourteen episodic chapters following the adventures of Duane and his buddies focus on friendship with a special emphasis on accepting and respecting differences among pals. . . . Direct addresses from the narrator invite youngsters in with gentle humor, and Pousette’s illustrations, black and white spot art appearing with pleasant frequency, give the animal characters an appealing toylike sensibility. This would make a fine companion to Milne’s classic or Lobel’s Frog and Toad, like those serving as a satisfying readaloud as well as a readalone; kiddos whose tastes tend toward the cozy will find warmth and comfort in Duane’s frosty world.” (BCCB )

"A tender early chapter book that will appeal to young readers.” (School Library Connection )

“Each character is well developed and the kindness with which these friends treat each other is instructive without being didactic. . . . The rich language and wordplay make for an excellent read-aloud. Recommended, especially as a read-aloud, for fans of classics like A.A. Milne’s Winnie-the-Pooh and Kenneth Grahame’s The Wind in the Willows, or for those seeking a solid demonstration of positive social interaction.” (School Library Journal )

About the Author

Dan Bar-el is an award-winning children’s author, educator, and storyteller whose books include Audrey (Cow), Not Your Typical Dragon, and The Very, Very Far North series. Dan has worked with children ages three to thirteen as a school-age childcare provider, a preschool teacher, a creative drama teacher, and a creative writing teacher. He also teaches with the Creative Writing for Children Society. Dan lives in Vancouver, British Columbia, with artist and goldsmith Dominique Bréchault, and Sasha, the most adorable cat in the known universe. Visit him at DanBarel.com.

Kelly Pousette is the illustrator of The Very, Very Far North series and a storyteller, originally from the west coast of British Columbia. She loves to create things, especially pictures. Her work has been featured in The Huffington Post Paris, the Brown Paper Bag blog, and Brightness Magazine. She currently resides in northern British Columbia with her husband and very large dog, Clovis.

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B07P5GTR9Y
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Atheneum Books for Young Readers; Reprint edition (September 3, 2019)
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ September 3, 2019
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 21798 KB
  • Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Sticky notes ‏ : ‎ On Kindle Scribe
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 289 pages
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.6 4.6 out of 5 stars 439 ratings

About the author

Follow authors to get new release updates, plus improved recommendations.
Dan Bar-el

Dan Bar-el

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Dan Bar-el is an award-winning children's author of fourteen books as well as an educator and storyteller. His writing includes chapter books, picture books, and graphic novels. For the past twenty-six years, Dan has been working with children ages 3 to 13. He's been a school age childcare provider, a preschool teacher, a creative drama teacher and creative writing teacher. These days, when not writing, travelling around the country presenting his book, storytelling or leading various workshops at schools and libraries, he teaches creative writing courses to children in Vancouver, BC where he lives.

follow him at:

www.danbarel.com

www.facebook.com/pages/Dan-Bar-el-Childrens-Book-Author

Customer reviews

4.6 out of 5 stars
4.6 out of 5
439 global ratings
A favorite - loved it
5 Stars
A favorite - loved it
I absolutely loved The Very, Very Far North! Immediately after finishing it, I had to know if this was going to be a series, as I didn’t want this to be the end of Duane and his adventures in the Far Far North. This story captured my attention immediately and entertained me until I turned the very last page (make sure you read the letter from Duane at the very end). Filled with engaging adventures and exciting stories, this book made me laugh, smile, and touched my heart.It wasn’t until after I read the book, did I read what others thought of this book. I have to agree with what many other readers reported, this book does have that Winnie the Pooh feel to it. As Duane makes himself comfortable in his new home in the Very, Very Far North, Duane has that comfortable, quizzical state about him and the adventures that he has, are quite fun and enlightening.Duane loves three things in life: napping, eating, and exploring. For Duane, the polar bear, finding C.C. and the shipwreck was the perfect beginning for him. He learns and forms so many great friendships in the Very, Very Far North, I’m so glad that he went.As they have new experiences, met new friends, and help each other, I enjoyed that there was no major rivalry or conflicts between them. Any struggles that they did have, were addressed, handled and then the parties dropped it. I also liked that each individual in the book was different and had their own personality. I really loved the way the book was written; it was reader friendly as the text spoke to you. I think young readers will enjoy this.I can’t wait to read more about Duane, Major Puff, Magic, C.C., Sun Girl, Boo, Twitch, and Handsome in the next book. I’m really hooked on this book and think it would make a great read aloud for elementary-age children. I can’t wait to share it with others.If you have young children, pick this one up. If you have grandchildren or work in a school-setting with young children, this is one you will want to look into. It definitely is a keeper!“You or I might have responded to a polar bear crashing into our home with a little more alarm, perhaps. I won’t speak for you, but I would definitely have screamed at least once, or five times.”
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Top reviews from the United States

BLH777
5.0 out of 5 stars Delightful book
Reviewed in the United States on January 24, 2024
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Such a charming, wholesome story. My children range in age from 4-12 and every one of them are delighted in the adventures of Duane and the friends he makes along the way.
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Pat Sullivan
5.0 out of 5 stars Witty for the adults, kids love the story
Reviewed in the United States on January 28, 2022
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This book has been a hit for the 5-10 yr old crowd. I read it to my two grandkids, they loved it. I appreciated the sly wit of the writer, and the kids laughed at the humorous bits as well. I gave a copy to my granddaughter’s preschool/kinder teachers, and they loved it, too. They will use as a read-aloud, and use the arctic animal characters as a point of study. A great gift for anyone looking for a great read-aloud for this age group. I also liked that the characters had different traits worth discussing with young kids—a tricky fox who likes to play jokes on others, an introverted owl, a very vain musk ox, and more. This one’s a keeper!
10 people found this helpful
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Heather Price
5.0 out of 5 stars Gift
Reviewed in the United States on February 5, 2024
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Perfect gift for my 8 year old niece
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Angie
5.0 out of 5 stars Sweet book
Reviewed in the United States on January 12, 2022
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This is a story of friendship, and differences, and accommodating those you love because they're important to you. But, you're going to think this is a story about a polar bear and his adventures. My kids, 5 & 8, love this story and we are on our third full read-through, and we've reread some favorite chapters a few extra times. This is a warm and comforting story that is just downright pleasant to read together.
3 people found this helpful
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Pop Bop
4.0 out of 5 stars Challenging, But Extremely Rewarding, Whimsy
Reviewed in the United States on September 11, 2019
Blurbs describe this book as "reminiscent" of Winnie the Pooh, and that feels fair, as far as it goes. But, as Zen as Winnie might be, the writing style of the Pooh books is comparatively simple and straightforward. In this book, Duane and his friends, while kind, mellow, and empathetic, are also a bit edgy, or touchy, or even grouchy. And I loved it.

My favorite Polar Bear is Daniel Pinkwater's Larry. While the Larry books are for younger readers, and for reading along and reading to, they also have a slightly skewed and sometimes surprisingly bracing vibe. This book struck me as the next step. Duane is a naif, but he isn't a dope. He looks for the bright side, but recognizes the dark. He is a force for goodness and kindness, and he coaxes the best out of those he encounters and befriends. But his companions can be vain, (Handsome the Musk Ox), superior and pedantic, (C.C. the Owl), reckless, (Magic the Arctic Fox), and so on. How Duane's fundamental goodness brings out the best in these characters underlies almost all of the the short chapter length tales, no matter what the substance of the actual tale might be.

This is all enhanced by a slightly arch and mannered writing style. The narration is knowing, and teases the reader a bit. Again, the tone is good natured, and often very clever or laugh out loud funny, but there is a certain bemused detachment that I found engaging and rather refreshing. Little zingers and deadpan one-liners work a lot better for younger readers, I think, than most people appreciate.

So, this really does fall into that hidden gem category, and it's just a lot more entertaining and rewarding than I ever expected. Reviewing "The House at Pooh Corner" as Constant Reader, Dorothy Parker admitted that "Tonstant Weader fwowed up". I suspect that Dorothy would have found this book much more to her liking.

(Please note that I received a free advance will-self-destruct-in-x-days Adobe Digital copy of this book without a review requirement, or any influence regarding review content should I choose to post a review. Apart from that I have no connection at all to either the author or the publisher of this book.)
10 people found this helpful
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Paula Finney
5.0 out of 5 stars Good book
Reviewed in the United States on September 7, 2023
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Very wordy and had lots of unusual words that can make it difficult to keep up with the story.
2 people found this helpful
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Sarah
5.0 out of 5 stars Delightful and witty
Reviewed in the United States on September 16, 2020
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I bought this book to read aloud to our four year old. He loves animals and adventures. The characters are fun and likable and the book teaches some nice lessons in a gentle way that is fully integrated into the story (e.g. respecting friend's boundaries and recognizing neurodiversity). The narrative voice is quite amusing, lots of funny side comments to the reader etc. I would highly recommend to parents planning to read aloud to a child. I would say that the story would appeal to children from about 4-8.
8 people found this helpful
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Nathan Klintworth
5.0 out of 5 stars Lovely read aloud
Reviewed in the United States on September 25, 2020
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I bought this as a read aloud for my 7 and 5 year olds and they both have loved it. The writing is very witty for a children's book and it made it enjoyable as an adult too. There are lots of lessons tucked into the book, but an overarching theme of acceptance and respect for differences is always there. My son was so sad when the book was over because he wanted more, I was happy to be able to tell him that a sequel was coming soon.
2 people found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

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sofy
5.0 out of 5 stars Good value
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on July 25, 2022
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Good
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CJ
5.0 out of 5 stars A fun read
Reviewed in Germany on February 10, 2021
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My son absolutely love this book. Aiming to get the next book 👍
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Rebecca
5.0 out of 5 stars A delightful, worthy read!
Reviewed in Canada on October 3, 2019
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A delightful, well-written and beautifully illustrated book! Perfect for those just getting into chapter books, and for adults who like good stories! I fell in love with characters.
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Segolene Delmas
5.0 out of 5 stars Tres joli livre très belles illustrations !
Reviewed in France on September 15, 2019
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Magnifique
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Tania
5.0 out of 5 stars Beautifully written
Reviewed in Australia on February 14, 2024
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We read this aloud as a family
Book and just loved it. Wonderful characters and story line
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