Joy of Bears to hit the shelves in late Spring

While the bears have been in a deep slumber, the elves at Get Bear Smart have been busy preparing for the upcoming season. We’re set to launch our Bear Smart Restaurant program; expand our reach with enhanced social media and digital communications; continue work on our habitat replacement program; and last but not least, we’ve created 112 pages of pure bruin joy.

Set to hit the shelves in late spring, Joy of Bears is a collection of over 100 breathtaking images and thought-provoking words meant to bring joy to your heart and enrich your spirit. It takes you on an inspiring journey into the world of the great bear to discover the true and often unseen nature of black bears, grizzlies and polar bears.

Almost all of the photos of black bears were captured locally. Whistler’s iconic bear, Jeanie, and her daughter Jeanette are featured on the cover. And of course, the book is dedicated to our beautiful girl, Jeanie (1991-2011), and all those who do their part to protect her kind.

I am really pleased with the final product. It still fills me with awe each time I leaf through it. The photos capture the real essence of bears and each individual’s personality shines through. Inspirational quotes are featured from Buddha, Jane Goodall, Chief Seattle, the 14^th Dalai Lama, Edward O. Wilson, Dr. Steve Herrero and many others, including me.

It’s one of those books you will need to keep nearby so that anytime you’re feeling a little blue, you can lift yourself right on up.

The book has already received lots of praise.

Rob Laidlaw, Executive Director, Zoocheck and award winning children’s author, says ” A true celebration of the world of bears and the amazing environments they inhabit. With its stunning visuals and inspiring prose, the Joy of Bears will be treasured by anyone interested in wildlife and the natural world. A positive, very moving tribute to these astonishing animals.”

And Marc Bekoff, a professor and prolific writer who lectures internationally on issues of animal behavior, cognitive ethology, and compassionate conservation, says “Bears are amazing beings. Sylvia Dolson’s new book shows us just how much we can learn from other animals when we allow them to tell us who they are. Read it and share widely. Not only will you come to appreciate bears more than ever but you’ll also come to cherish the fascinating world of animals and the beautiful landscapes in which they live. Peaceful coexistence is the only way to live with other animals and to expand our compassion footprint and to rewild our hearts.”

I would like to thank the photographers who enthusiastically donated their photos to this project – Nikolai Zinoviev, Michael Poliza, Derek Kyostia, Tony Dathan, Dennis Fast, David Krughoff, Deb Potts, James Fougere and Jamie Douglas.

I am also grateful to the Community Foundation of Whistler and the Vancouver Foundation for providing the seed money to get the book designed and printed.

Joy of Bears is a must have for any animal lover and a beautiful coffee table piece sure to bring smiles and conversation to guests in your home. It is the great bear’s gift to us. Look for it at local retail outlets in June.

Proceeds from the sale of this book support our work helping people to understand and live with our neigh-bears.

You can view Joy of Bears here.