A Bear Named Trouble

A parent should reach for this book when their child is struggling with loneliness and feelings of displacement after a move. The story compassionately follows two parallel journeys: that of Jonathan, a boy who just moved to Anchorage, Alaska with his zookeeper father, leaving his mom and sister behind; and that of a young brown bear, also separated from his mother and trying to survive alone. Through their shared sense of being lost, the book explores deep themes of empathy, belonging, and the complex relationship between humans and nature. It is an excellent choice for kids aged 8 to 12 as a gentle, hopeful story about how finding a connection, even an unlikely one, can make a strange new place start to feel like home.