Kali’s Story: An Orphaned Polar Bear Rescue

After the death of its mother, a polar bear cub won’t be able to survive in the wild. He’s rescued by residents of the Inupiat village of Kali (who name him after their village) and sent to the Alaska Zoo, where employees teach Kali to eat solid foods, and where he learns to swim. Gomes’s scattered photographs create both an albumlike effect and a sort of visual narrative as Kali plays, explores, and naps. Though Kali’s permanent home ends up being at the Buffalo Zoo, rather than in the wild, readers should enjoy seeing a grown-up Kali find a companion in another polar bear named Luna. Supplemental material provides facts about polar bears’ habitats, characteristics, and life cycles. Ages 4–8. (Feb.)