Reviews

Yodel the Yearling


Kirkus Reviews - December 2017

The few short sentences with easy vocabulary on each page make this ideal for young children and new readers. Holland’s photos include some great shots of the babysitter tree, the family group, and the brothers wrestling. Several, though, are more difficult to make out; the bears’ black fur makes them blend into one another and into background tree bark. Backmatter explains the difference between torpor and hibernation and includes two activities: one identifying what black bears eat from among 11 photos and the other matching descriptions of evidence of black bears to photos.

Publishers Weekly - January 20, 2018

In this light wildlife primer, naturalist and photographer Holland focuses on a family of black bears. One-year-old “Yodel,” his two siblings, and their mother wake from “a long winter’s nap.” ...The photographs offer an intimate perspective on the bears and less of a sense of their surrounding environment. Back matter provides bear-related learning activities, including a closer look at the foods bears eat, and black bear signs like tracks and marking trees.

Foreword Reviews - March 2018

Amazing fullcolor photographs capture the cubs and their mother climbing trees, foraging for food, napping, and wrestling, while extended pages of educational activities examine nests, tracks, dens, diets, and all things black bear-related for a closer look at one of America’s most extraordinary natives.

Science Books & Films - August/September 2018

This story tells basic information about a yearling black bear cub (Yodel) who lives with his mother and two siblings, who are also yearlings. The illustrations on every two-page spread are actual photographs of the bears, which makes the story much more interesting and “alive.” The pictures are clear and appropriate, likely to make readers drawn to the bears but not just “aw, cute!” images.

Puget Sound Council for the Review of Children's Books

Crisp photographs, and interesting narrative text follow the yearlings as they learn. Much is taught about bear behavior through the text, and readers will enjoy learning it as it applies to a specific bear. Extension activities are included at the end, including facts about hibernation vs. torpor as well as additional bear facts. This would be a nice addition to bear collections and gives enough information for very simple reports.

Alexander's Library - June 2019

Wildlife photographer an naturalist Mary Holland provides a close look at the real life of a bear cub. We see Yodel and his siblings wrestle and roll, gnaw on tree limbs, and spend time napping. A lot of time napping! The youngsters have "bear school" with mama bear, who teaches them to find insects, nuts, plants, and other food. Before the year is out they will leaves mom and head out on their own.

Heck of a Bunch - March 2018

This book tells of Yodel, a one-year old black bear, and his brother and mother after waking up from hibernation. The pictures show the bears in their natural habitat and how they interact with each other. Readers also get a glimpse of how the bears eat and exercise.

Our Everyday Harvest - March 2018

...There's plenty of gorgeous photography throughout the book to really capture a day in the life of a black bear. As we read this, it's almost as if we were sitting right there in the woods watching them in their own habitat. There are plenty of opportunities to build a black bear unit study out of this book, and I appreciate that it also includes a detailed explanation of the difference between hibernation and torpor.

Outnumbered 3 to 1 - April 2018

Yodel the Yearling is a nonfiction picture book about a baby bear and how he goes about his daily life. Yodel and his siblings have woken up from hibernation and are ready to get out and explore. Nature photographer Mary Holland captures all these important moments of this black bear family’s springtime adventures. Just like human children, the yearlings play, explore and snuggle up with mom for milk. Eventually these yearlings will be grown and have to go off on their own but their Mama has taught them well so they will know what to do.

Children's Literature Review, Ohio School Leadership Foundation & University of Cincinnati SDI Center - June 2018

Great science education nonfiction. Development in nature curriculum.

Midwest Book Review - August 2018

Very highly recommended for children ages 5 to 8.

Texas Kitchen and Garden and More - October 2018

The bears learn the ways of life from their mother way out in the woods. Find out what this yearling eats, how he keeps himself entertained and more in author and nature photographer Mary Holland’s book, “Yodel the Yearling” from Arbordale Publishing. Don’t forget to check out the Creative Minds section at the back of the book to find out even more about bears like Yodel.