A Voice for the Spirit Bears: How One Boy Inspired Millions to Save a Rare Animal

As a child, Simon Jackson found navigating the world of the school playground
difficult. He felt most at home in the woodlands, learning about and photographing
wildlife. As a teenager, he became fascinated with spirit bears, a rare subspecies of
black bear with creamy white fur. These elusive creatures were losing their habitat to
deforestation, and Simon knew he had to do something to protect them. He decided
he would become the voice for the spirit bears. But first, he would have to find his
own. Carmen Oliver's inspiring true story is based on the early life of Simon Jackson,
who founded the Spirit Bear Youth Coalition. On his remarkable journey to protect the
spirit bears, he met Dr. Jane Goodall and eventually hiked the Great Bear Rainforest
--- the home of these elusive animals. Katy Dockrill's captivating art adds depth and
beauty to the story. Photos and additional details about Simon Jackson's life and
about spirit bears are included in the end matter. Part of the CitizenKid collection, this
book demonstrates how one child can be a voice for change. Simon's story is an
excellent example of growth mindset at work, highlighting personal growth and
overcoming obstacles through activism. This book can also be used to lead
discussions about character education as it relates to courage, resilience and
perseverance. In addition, it has strong science curriculum links to the environment,
animal habitats and the effects of clear-cutting.




Information about Simon Jackson. Information about spirit bears. Full-color illustrations rendered with brush and ink, brushpen, and pencil, and colored digitally.