Today we’re on a quest for the Spirit Bear with twins Gannon and Wyatt in the Great Bear Rainforest up in Alaska.
Have you ever imagined traveling the world ? Not only have we imagined it, we’ve done it. Can you imagine how happy we were to discover this wonderful book series Travels with Gannon & Wyatt by Patti Wheeler and Keith Hemstreet about twin brothers Gannon and Wyatt who tour the world with their flight attendant mom and their international businessman father.
In Great Bear Rainforest we go in search of the mythical spirit bear. Surviving in the unforgiving wilderness of British Columbia Canada can prove more challenging than both Gannon and Wyatt could ever have imagined. When members of the expedition go missing, the brother bravely set out on a search and rescue mission. Soon the find themselves lost in a forest teeming with grizzly bears, wolves, and mysterious gunmen. Guided by a very wise and smart Native American teen, Gannon and Wyatt uncover a sinister plot and must risk everything to save those who are missing and restore balance to the Great Bear Rainforest.
This book is well written and gave us insights to a region of the world we don’t know at all. The storyline was exciting and captivating. I greatly appreciate the layout of the book as it lends well to young advanced readers such as 8 year-olds with a middle school reading level.
The story also deals with real life conservation issues being done to preserve bears, salmon and the whole region from oil pipelines going thru this pristine and vast wilderness.
Written in the tradition and style of historic journals kept by explorers such as Lewis and Clark, Dr. David Livingstone, and Captain James Cook, Travels with Gannon & Wyatt holds great moments of adventure as well as beautiful photographs, maps, and nuances to keep it interesting. Other books in the series are Egypt, Greenland, Iceland, Tanzania, Ireland, The American West and Botswana. Filled with fun and adventure we love this series and are so glad to have discovered it.
Something To Do
This adventure planted seeds of inspiration to discover more about the Great Bear Rainforest. Let’s go exploring and see what we can discover.
Where is the Great Bear Rainforest?
The Great Bear Rainforest is a remote region of temperate rain forest in Canada, on the British Columbia Coast between Vancouver Island and Southeast Alaska.The Great Bear Rainforest is one of the largest remaining tracts of unspoiled temperate rainforest left in the world.
Great Bear Rainforest Wildlife
The Great Bear Rainforest is home to some very impressive wildlife both on land and in the sea.The area is home to species such as cougars, wolves, salmon, grizzly bears, and the Kermode (“spirit”) bear, a unique subspecies of the black bear, in which one in ten cubs displays a recessive white colored coat.
Kermode or The Spirit Bear
Spirit bears are rare black bears with white or creamy fur, brown eyes, dark nose pads, and nearly white claws. They are not polar bears or albinos. Less than a thousand exist.
Legend of the Spirit Bear
“For many years, the Spirit Bear was considered a legend of the Gitg’at and Kitasoo Native Peoples. Their legends told of a time when the glaciers finally receded, and it was Raven who made everything green. Raven also decided to make one in ten black bears white, to remind him of the time when the world was white with snow and ice. Raven decided to set aside a special area of the world for these bears – now known as the Great Bear Rainforest. It was a remote paradise where the bears were to live in peace forever.” David Burrell
More facts about the Kermode Bear:
- Average litter size is 2, although 1 to 3 cubs is possible. Newborn cubs weigh up to a pound.
- Lifespan: 20 to 25 years in the wild.
- Weight: about 250 to 300 pounds for males. Females weigh about 125 to 175 pounds. Length is approximately 5 to 6 feet.
- The population of the Kermode bear is estimated to be under 1300.
- Due to the remote and unspoiled territories that these bears live in, they are neither accustomed nor fearful of man.
- The major threat to this species is loss of pristine habitat from ongoing logging operations. Global warming is a long term threat that alters their balanced ecosystem. Reduction of salmon supplies by man made activities (e.g.: over fishing, pollution, etc.) also threaten the Kermode spirit bear.
More about the Gitga’att Tribe
In Travels with Gannon and Wyatt Great Bear Rainforest, we are introduced to the Native American Gitga’tt Tribe. A teenage girl named Alu helps the boys on their long journey to find their parents.
History: The ancestors of the present Gitga’at people lived at their ancestral home Laxgal’tsap (Old Town) in Kitkiata Inlet, on the northwest side of the Douglas Channel.
Society: The Gitga’at are members of the Tsimshian cultural group which is a matrilineal society. Clans affiliation, crests, names, and resource gathering areas are inherited from the mother’s side of the family.
Resource Use: Each House Group had specific territories for harvesting resources. As well, they share communal gathering places such as salmon rivers at Lax Galtsap (Old Town) and seaweed sources near Kiel, the spring camp.
Language: The Gitga’at originally spoke Sguuks or Sguumxs (Southern Tsimshian), but adopted the more widely spoken Sm’algyax (Coast Tsimshian).
Governance: Gitga’at society is sophisticated and complex, with intricate rules and norms that guide social relations, governance and economic activity.
Let’s Learn A Little Gitga’tt
Gannon and Wyatt share a little Giga’tt in their book Great Bear Rainforest. Why don’t you give it a try ?
Here are some common phrases from Great Bear Rainforest.
How are you ? Nada will wall ?
I am Fine. Aam wila waalu.
What is your name? Nay di wan?
My name is… di away…
Where are you from ? Nadir di will waiting?
Thank you, sir/madam Tooyxsut nuun
I’m hungry Kwdiinu
I’m thirsty Luguungwaga’nu
I like Anoogi
I don’t like Akadi anoint/anoogu
I want Hasagu
I do not want Akadi hasagu
Where is….Ndaayut?
Let’s Meet Gannon & Wyatt
I’ve saved the best for last. Let’s actually meet Gannon & Wyatt in the Great Bear Rainforest. They share their actual adventures from their book in their own voices. Plus we get to meet singing whales, spirit bears, eagles and many more wonderful special moments. It’s really fun and the views are simply stunning.
Happy Reading and I hope you enjoyed our adventure today.
If you are in the mood for another and inactive story, check out the enhanced digital eBook for kids, The Ultimate Guide to Charlie and The Chocolate Factory!
The Ultimate Guide To Charlie And The Chocolate Factory is a step by step roadmap to this magical world. Just some of the fun includes:
- A story filled with beautiful graphic illustrations including tantalizing Treasure Maps and vibrant tutorials.
- Over 20 Crafts and activities that not only entertain, but educate.
- You get to jump inside the book and enjoy creating the adventures yourself (Templates, maps, and more are included.)
- Ever wonder where chocolate comes from? Or how gum is made? Wonder no more. Now you get to make your own.
- Conduct activities in the areas of crafting, cooking, and game-playing as well as exploring many facets of candy production.
- The option to take Charlie’s journey over the course of several days or take shorter journeys if you wish.
- The creation of a new ritual of reading time with your family and the opportunity to experience the reading of this imaginative tale as a group activity, not a solitary event.
Go HERE to learn more and grab your copy from iBooks!
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