• Age: 6 to 10
• Grade: k to 4

A poignant and true story about love, loss, and family strength during World War One is now available in paperback!

During World War One, a young girl slips her teddy bear into a care package for her father, a medic posted to the trenches of France. Although her father dies in the battle of Passchendaele, his belongings are shipped back to his family, along with the toy bear, which today sits in the Canadian War Museum in Ottawa.

In 1915, 37-year-old Lawrence Browning Rogers enlisted in the Fifth Canadian Mounted Rifles, leaving behind his wife, two children, and their farm in East Farnham, Quebec. Over the next two and a half years, the family exchanged hundreds of letters, and daughter Aileen sent her beloved Teddy overseas to keep her father safe. Teddy returned home safely, but Lieutenant Rogers did not. He was killed in the battle of Passchendaele. Eighty-five years later, Lawrence's granddaughter found Teddy, the letters, and other war memorabilia packed away in a briefcase. And she discovered a moving story of one family's love and sacrifice - a story shared by the families of so many soldiers who have lost their lives in the defense of their country.

Accompanied by family photographs and Brian Deines' poignant art, A Bear in War is more than one family's testament to a brave soldier. It is a gentle introduction to war, to Remembrance Day, and to the honor of those who have served their countries.

A writer and editor, HARRY ENDRULAT has worked in children’s publishing for many years. He is a graduate of Wilfrid Laurier University (with an Honours English degree) and Centennial College (with a Book and Magazine Publishing diploma). After the birth of his son Harrison and daughter Hayley, Harry began creating stories for their amusement – and as a means to keep them from running amuck (if just for a moment). Harry has written numerous books for the Max & Ruby series (based on the popular show on Treehouse TV). Harry lives with his wife and children – his creative collaborators – in a previously quiet neighbourhood in Southern Ontario.

STEPHANIE INNES is the great-granddaughter of Lawrence B. Rogers. She lives in Tucson, Arizona, where she is the faith and values reporter for the Arizona Daily Star newspaper, as well as an adjunct instructor of journalism at the University of Arizona. She holds a masters degree in journalism from Northwestern University and an Honours English degree from Huron College at the University of Western Ontario.

BRIAN DEINES, a graduate from the Alberta College of Art, has the ability to bring an air of mystery and grace to popular children’s books including Sky Sisters and Bear on the Train. He has illustrated a trilogy with author Tomson Highway, and both the first book, Caribou Song as well as the second, Dragon Fly Kites, was shortlisted for the Governor General’s Award for Illustration and nominated for the Schwartz Children’s Literature Award. Brian Deines resides in Toronto.

Stephanie Innes' profile page

Writer and editor Harry Endrulat is the coauthor of A Bear in War, which was an honour book for both the OLA Silver Birch Express Award and the Children’s Literature Round­tables of Canada Information Book Award, as well as its sequel, Bear on the Homefront. Among others, he has also written numerous books for the Max & Ruby series and The Adventures of Franklin and Friends collection. Harry lives with his family in Southern Ontario.

Harry Endrulat's profile page

BRIAN DEINES has illustrated numerous books for children, including SkySisters

(written by Jan BourdeauWaboose), Dragonfly Kites (written by Thomson Highway),

and One Hockey Night (written by DavidWard). He has been nominated for

numerous awards, including the Governor General’s Literary Award, the Ruth and

Sylvia Schwartz Children’s Literature Award, the Martha Baillie Picture Book

Award, and the Lillian Shepherd Memorial Award. A native of Red Deer, Alberta,

Brian lives in Toronto.

Brian Deines' profile page

• Commended, Canadian Children's Book Centre Best Books for Kids & Teens
• Commended, Resource Links "The Year's Best"
• Commended, OLA Silver Birch Express Award Honour Book
• Short-listed, Canadian Children's Literature Roundtables Information Book Award

About A Bear in War

2013 Canadian Children's Book Centre Best Books for Kids & Teens selection

2012 Resource Links "The Year's Best"

2010 Silver Birch Express Award Honour Book

2009 Canadian Children's Literature Roundtables Information Book Award finalist

2021 49th Shelf "Lest We Forget: Books for Remembrance Day" list selection

"The history, the illustrations, and the story itself combine to make a wonderful testimonial to a family who made the greatest sacrifice for their country in World War I."—School Library Journal

"Based on debut author Innes' family history, this moving picture book, co-authored by Endrulat, blurs the border between fiction and nonfiction as it tells the story of Innes' great-grandfather, a Canadian soldier killed in the trenches of World War I."—Booklist

"[Deines] brings both a sense of intimacy (Aileen's hands putting Teddy in a box) and universality (an iconic soldier vanishing in a field of poppies) to the text. A lovely book..."—Kirkus Reviews

"...Innes and Endrulat do not shield the reader from the sadness war brings but choose to demonstrate it with tremendous sensitivity. Deines' exquisite oil paintings beautifully couple the innocence and sensitivity that Innes and Endrulat create...Simply put, A Bear in War is a story that parents must read to their children. Highly Recommended."—CM Magazine

"This book is highly recommend for school and public libraries and should be a great choice to share with young readers on November 11...Gently told through the voice of the teddy bear it provides some insight into life during war time for a group of young readers."—Resource Links Magazine

"[Books about war] need not be graphic in their treatment of the subject. Sometimes, subtlety carries more weight, especially if it evokes emotions that even the young can identify with and relate to...A Bear in War is based on real-life incidents, but the way Stephanie Innes and Harry Endrulat relate them makes for a story with wide-ranging appeal."—Montreal Gazette

"[A] timeless and touching love story told from the perspective of a girl's teddy bear."—Canadian Living

"It's tough telling a story to children about someone dying in battle but somehow A Bear in War manages to do so in a way that is gentle, fascinating and educational. Our savvy testers (who included teachers and children) found themselves wanting to read the story again and again. It's a wonderful addition to the learning resources for Remembrance Day and the story and the beautiful illustrations provide a great tool to help parents talk to their children about war, service to country, and losing a loved one."—SavvyMom

"This remarkable book will give children a sense of what it was like living on the home front...it serves as a tribute to the young men who left their homes and families to serve in WWI. It also shows to get effect that people left at home had to have courage too."—Through the Looking Glass Children's Book Reviews

"[A] powerful, moving piece of literature – a picture book destined to become a Canadian classic."—Oak Bay News

“A Bear in War is such a beautiful story, and sad at the same time….The illustrations are beautiful and I like the added real photographs and information provided about the family and Teddy.”—Book Time

“The illustrations are beautiful. There are also real photographs throughout the book as well as information about the family at the end.”—Newmarket Today

A Bear in War