Author: Norbert Rosing; Publisher: Katha Books; Price: Rs 95; Extent: 20 pages; Children’s book

◊ By Pure & Eco India

Polar Bear is a gorgeous little book based on award-winning German photographer, Norbert Rosing’s sojourn to the Arctic Circle.

It is brimming with stunning images of animals that live in the extreme end of the world, and beautifully captures the bonds they share with each other, and of course, with the occasional travellers who visit their habitat, like the author himself.

Rosing has said of his experience, “These pictures were taken during several different shootings. This taught me to learn to work under difficult conditions with a lot of discipline and, most importantly, to develop deep respect for animals.”

Against the cold, harsh Arctic backdrop, Polar Bear showcases the warmness of relationships between the different animals that call the Arctic home.

But relationship dynamics is not all that Polar Bear touches upon. It is a deeply insightful book addressing the growing concerns around climate change and the rapid depletion of flora and fauna.

It begs the question, as Rosing puts it aptly, “If Polar bears no longer roam the earth, it might not be that long thereafter that human beings will be compelled to live under conditions that they would not want to live under. Without polar bears, the Arctic would not be the Arctic it is known to be, and neither would the world we live in.”

The simplicity of the language used, paired with Rosing’s captivating photographs, makes Polar Bear an excellent read for children, especially early readers. Animals lovers, too, would find this a delightful read.

The book is part of Katha’s unique ‘I Love Reading’ series, designed to draw first-generation readers into the ambit of pleasure reading.

The books in the series, with their high-quality content and design, highlight the best of India’s 2,000 years of literary heritage, from the classical to the contemporary.

Polar Bear is also available in the Hindi language, as Safed Bhalu.