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jessential_reads's review
4.0
This book is a YA memoir, our author is also the protagonist. Tells us the story of how at a young age he became an animal activist and found himself living in his own coming-of-age story. Justin is a boy who is sensitive and has problems connecting with others at school and at home, he is bullied and he feels like his family does not understand him. So, he usually keeps his head down but one day, he finds inspiration in a book where he acquires motivation and passion to give voice to those who don't have one, animals. He vigorously researches ways to help, to make a difference and he starts slow by being vegetarian, then he looks in the zoo’s conditions and from there he finds direction towards something bigger. In his fight to help animals, he not only discovers his own voice but his true value.
It was unbelievable that by asking the right questions, working hard, and insisting that people pay attention I could actually have an impact in the world...
A beautiful memoir of self-love, passion, dedication, tenacity and identity. It's a pretty straightforward plot, his writing style is simple but with so much emotion that it is perfect for young readers to be captivated and encouraged to speak up. It's a short read but with a lot of impact, he gives us hard facts, humor and sentiment. In other words, this book is excellent, something I would totally recommend and can't wait to share with my own boys.
It was unbelievable that by asking the right questions, working hard, and insisting that people pay attention I could actually have an impact in the world...
A beautiful memoir of self-love, passion, dedication, tenacity and identity. It's a pretty straightforward plot, his writing style is simple but with so much emotion that it is perfect for young readers to be captivated and encouraged to speak up. It's a short read but with a lot of impact, he gives us hard facts, humor and sentiment. In other words, this book is excellent, something I would totally recommend and can't wait to share with my own boys.
jugglingpup's review
4.0
To see more reviews check out MI Book Reviews.
I got an ARC of this book.
So I am all about saving animals. I am the first person to leap from a car to see if I can save an animal in the street. I have been late to work and lost all of my cookies bribing stray dogs into my car and getting them medical care. My boss is so used to this that she just asks me to save her a single cookie or send her pictures of my new friends. I am the type to bottle feed animals that are rejected by their mother and find them homes, even when my life is falling apart. The few times I skipped school, was to go to animal rights protests (I was caught on the news). So I understand a bit of what Barker did and felt. I focus more on the animals in front of me, Barker focuses more on animals that need bigger help. I respect and appreciate Barker.
The book was really quick. It very much read as middle grade or maybe young adult. I appreciated this. I loved that Jane Goodall was the one who wrote the introduction. Goodall is a HUGE name in the animal world and someone that would be beyond incredible to ever meet. Seeing her endorsing the book and her knowing of Barker was huge.
My main issue with the book is that Barker never renounced PETA or acted like they were anything but perfect. I was also a member of PETA at one point, well the young adult version. Peta has been called out for so many things from blaming dairy for Autism to flat out lying about what is happening. There have been allegations for years, I learned about that within a few weeks of joining PETA and immediately stopped. With all of those controversies around PETA it leaves a bad taste in my mouth that Barker did not at least mention the issues or say that he his organization is doing things differently. Something to recognize that the group is not perfect. Instead, if I was the right age range for this book I would have thought PETA was amazing and wanted to join. This feels false and makes me question Barker as an activist.
If you ignore my issues with PETA, then this was a great read. It helped show just how much difference one person can make if they aren’t afraid to run up a phone bill. He earned the nickname of Bear Boy at 14 years old. At 13 he was taking on a zoo that did not provide what the animals needed. This is exactly the sort of book I needed in middle school. He is very much a role model for supporting and helping animals. I may not agree with him on all points, but we can agree that animals deserve better.
I got an ARC of this book.
So I am all about saving animals. I am the first person to leap from a car to see if I can save an animal in the street. I have been late to work and lost all of my cookies bribing stray dogs into my car and getting them medical care. My boss is so used to this that she just asks me to save her a single cookie or send her pictures of my new friends. I am the type to bottle feed animals that are rejected by their mother and find them homes, even when my life is falling apart. The few times I skipped school, was to go to animal rights protests (I was caught on the news). So I understand a bit of what Barker did and felt. I focus more on the animals in front of me, Barker focuses more on animals that need bigger help. I respect and appreciate Barker.
The book was really quick. It very much read as middle grade or maybe young adult. I appreciated this. I loved that Jane Goodall was the one who wrote the introduction. Goodall is a HUGE name in the animal world and someone that would be beyond incredible to ever meet. Seeing her endorsing the book and her knowing of Barker was huge.
My main issue with the book is that Barker never renounced PETA or acted like they were anything but perfect. I was also a member of PETA at one point, well the young adult version. Peta has been called out for so many things from blaming dairy for Autism to flat out lying about what is happening. There have been allegations for years, I learned about that within a few weeks of joining PETA and immediately stopped. With all of those controversies around PETA it leaves a bad taste in my mouth that Barker did not at least mention the issues or say that he his organization is doing things differently. Something to recognize that the group is not perfect. Instead, if I was the right age range for this book I would have thought PETA was amazing and wanted to join. This feels false and makes me question Barker as an activist.
If you ignore my issues with PETA, then this was a great read. It helped show just how much difference one person can make if they aren’t afraid to run up a phone bill. He earned the nickname of Bear Boy at 14 years old. At 13 he was taking on a zoo that did not provide what the animals needed. This is exactly the sort of book I needed in middle school. He is very much a role model for supporting and helping animals. I may not agree with him on all points, but we can agree that animals deserve better.
gruhuken's review
4.0
Incredibly inspiring!! I finished this all in one sitting and I feel infused with a new determination to fight for the causes i believe in
claire60's review
3.0
An interesting book about a young man who is so outraged by animal cruelty that he starts a campaign to free two bears from their very restrictive cage. Not always a comfortable read, as it is told from the point of view of his teenage self, he appears a little lost with parents who aren't there when he gets in from school. One day he reads a book about animal rights and when he discovers that animals are taken from Africa and kept in terrible conditions in many Zoos in the US, he is outraged. His fervour for improving life for animals, including going vegetarian overnight is impressive. I don't agree with the way that he forces his friends to watch a PETA video in order for them to become vegetarian. Especially when he then says he is then able to accept his friend because tried to be vegetarian for a month. We also follow his journey of exploring his sexuality which was moving as he related to the way animals are bullied and funny when he discovers the Spice Girls. A bit over the top in places but I guess that is how he was able to make a difference for 2 bears in appalling conditions.
With thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
With thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
michadoaboutnothing's review
4.0
Thank you NetGalley and Brutus & Ursula LLC for my e-arc of this title, received in exchange for an honest review.
A true life, coming-of-age story about a boy who discovers his passion for animal rights activism and works against the odds to free two black bears from horrific living conditions in a defunct zoo.
A quick and easy read, with an engaging prose and easy to follow narrative. It felt like listening to a friend tell me a story-where I could feel the passion and their eagerness to share with me. From dealing with feelings of isolation as a young teen, to finding a passion and a cause, learning about his own identity and finding his place in the world, Justin’s story was heartwarming throughout and wrapped up with a genuinely uplifting message. This book encourages a deeper appreciation and understanding of the world around us and all those who inhabit it.
This was a beautiful and heartwarming story for both teen and older readers, I would highly recommend.
A true life, coming-of-age story about a boy who discovers his passion for animal rights activism and works against the odds to free two black bears from horrific living conditions in a defunct zoo.
A quick and easy read, with an engaging prose and easy to follow narrative. It felt like listening to a friend tell me a story-where I could feel the passion and their eagerness to share with me. From dealing with feelings of isolation as a young teen, to finding a passion and a cause, learning about his own identity and finding his place in the world, Justin’s story was heartwarming throughout and wrapped up with a genuinely uplifting message. This book encourages a deeper appreciation and understanding of the world around us and all those who inhabit it.
This was a beautiful and heartwarming story for both teen and older readers, I would highly recommend.
thewoollygeek's review
5.0
I wasn’t expecting to love this book as much as I did, so much so I devoured it in one sitting. I thought this was a great book to encourage activism, whilst learning about animals it was great in encouraging young people to stand up ,speak up and try to make a difference, that some things are worth fighting for. Absolutely fantastic
Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for a free copy for an honest opinion
Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for a free copy for an honest opinion
swhite916's review
4.0
Justin Barker's memoir Bear Boy is wonderfully written. It actually covers two stories: Justin's journey through adolescence and his beginnings as an animal activist. Barker does an exceptional job capturing the ups and downs of adolescence, and the turmoil of being an outcast in middle school. Barker's Bear Boy allows the reader to feel what it is like to discover a passion and be determined with all your being to make a change in the world even if you are "just a kid." But Justin was never an average teenager, he is so much more. With drive, an uncanny understanding of how to utilize the media to his benefit, and a network of mentors, Justin persistently works to achieve his goal of freeing Ursula and Brutus from their desperate situation. I am a recently retired middle school teacher-librarian, and I highly recommend this book!
stitchsaddiction's review
5.0
Thank you to Netgalley and Brutus Ursula LLC for my advanced copy of Bear Boy.
This is an inspirational nonfiction tale of Justin Barker and his unbridled desire to live in a better world. I confess to having never heard of the Bear Boy before and curiosity had me wanting to know more once I read the synopsis and loved the beautiful cover art by Doaly and I wasn't left disappointed but there were definite moments of tears falling.
There needs to be more people in this world with the perseverance of Justin Barker when it comes to seeing what is wrong with the world and working to rectify it. I loved how idle curiosity over a secondhand book during the holidays leads to a fight for humane conditions at his zoo, because God help us zoos in the nineties and earlier where horrific for the wonderful creatures that lived there. I used to hate seeing animals from stories looking so lost when I was young (old soul here..)
I could see clearly a young Justin Barker in my head running up phone bills, and being surrounded by letters and information as curiosity becomes a passion but it's the tale of two essentially forgotten bears that made me cry. I read many of the pages of Bear Boy through tears as Barker recounts the events of Brutus and Ursula's imprisonment and eventual freedom, as no animal deserved to be neglected as they were.
It's a story that should be taught to children everywhere, because stories such as this? Are ones that will hopefully lead to changes in the way we see the world and those we share it with.
But this book isn't just about Justin Barker and his activism bug also his journey from the bullied kid who doesn't know his place with others to him learning about his gender, and finding others who love him for exactly who he is. There were giggles of the scenes of him dancing to the Spice Girls, a soft sigh as he sings Mama over the phone to his Mom in the early hours, and pride as he announces who he is because all of us should find acceptance.
Bear Boy is wonderful. Truly truly wonderful, and I wish I had heard about Brutus and Ursula before.. even if I was left in floods of tears.
This is an inspirational nonfiction tale of Justin Barker and his unbridled desire to live in a better world. I confess to having never heard of the Bear Boy before and curiosity had me wanting to know more once I read the synopsis and loved the beautiful cover art by Doaly and I wasn't left disappointed but there were definite moments of tears falling.
There needs to be more people in this world with the perseverance of Justin Barker when it comes to seeing what is wrong with the world and working to rectify it. I loved how idle curiosity over a secondhand book during the holidays leads to a fight for humane conditions at his zoo, because God help us zoos in the nineties and earlier where horrific for the wonderful creatures that lived there. I used to hate seeing animals from stories looking so lost when I was young (old soul here..)
I could see clearly a young Justin Barker in my head running up phone bills, and being surrounded by letters and information as curiosity becomes a passion but it's the tale of two essentially forgotten bears that made me cry. I read many of the pages of Bear Boy through tears as Barker recounts the events of Brutus and Ursula's imprisonment and eventual freedom, as no animal deserved to be neglected as they were.
It's a story that should be taught to children everywhere, because stories such as this? Are ones that will hopefully lead to changes in the way we see the world and those we share it with.
But this book isn't just about Justin Barker and his activism bug also his journey from the bullied kid who doesn't know his place with others to him learning about his gender, and finding others who love him for exactly who he is. There were giggles of the scenes of him dancing to the Spice Girls, a soft sigh as he sings Mama over the phone to his Mom in the early hours, and pride as he announces who he is because all of us should find acceptance.
Bear Boy is wonderful. Truly truly wonderful, and I wish I had heard about Brutus and Ursula before.. even if I was left in floods of tears.