"Bear Listens", a title in the "Turtle Island Voices" collection of books for elementary school children (mostly lower level grades) by author Robert Cutting and illustrator Scott Page, is a sweet short story of a bear who learns from nature by listening intentionally. The book is only 15 pages long, including a 'teaching section' at the conclusion of the book, which reiterates the message throughout: it is important to learn about and understand the environment. There is also a little phrase on where the book is set (Plateau region) and it explains that some Aboriginal people still live in the area and continue to hunt and gather food.
The best thing about this book is its simplicity and its beautiful and colourful illustrations. It is fun to read and manages to convey a timeless idea of mindfulness in very few words.
There are no reviews available on any website that I could find, apart from this book being awarded a 2012 finalist in the AEP Distinguished Achievement category for educational materials. Using what we've learned in class though, this book seems to pass as a decent representation of First Nations concepts about nature. While neither the author nor the illustrator appear to be from Aboriginal backgrounds, the entire series is geared towards bringing positive voices and perspectives of Aboriginal peoples to children so that their viewpoints can be enriched. I believe that is a good enough reason to include this book in a library or classroom.
References:
Cutting, R., & Page, S. (Illustrator). (2013). Bear Listens. Place: Rubicon Publishing.
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