Published by Abrams Books for Young Readers 

Summary:  The wordless first few pages show a bored Sophie rushing through her homework so she can watch TV.  For her assignment to write three facts about polar bears, she scribbles, “They are big, they eat things, they are mean.”  As she settles down in front of the TV, a polar bear named Olafur shows up to tell her, “We’re not all mean.”  He then whisks her away to the Arctic where he shows her the beauty of his home, and shares how he spends his days fishing, swimming, and listening to whales.  As the two of them finish their day watching the Northern Lights, Sophie promises her new friend she’s going to go home and tell everyone about him.  The last page shows her immersed in research, surrounded by books, notes, and a map of the Arctic.  Ages 4-8.

Pros:  Nothing like a little excitement to encourage curiosity and learning.  You can almost feel the Arctic chill from the beautifully detailed illustrations.

Cons:  Melting polar ice caps.