• Age: 5 to 10
• Grade: k to 3

During World War II, nurse Aileen Rogers and her stuffed bear, Teddy, greet English "guest children" sent overseas for safety. Teddy befriends homesick, young William and his sister Grace, sharing the experience of the cross-country train ride and five years on a host family's farm. Based on real events.

During World War II, 10,000 children from British cities were sent to live with host families in Canada, the United States, and other nations away from the war zone. Bear on the Homefront tells the story of two guest children, Grace and William Chambers, who arrive in Halifax and meet Aileen Rogers, a nurse serving on the homefront. With her is Teddy, the stuffed bear whose real-life trip to the front lines of World War I and back was chronicled in A Bear in War.

Using archival images and Aileen Rogers’ wartime diary, Stephanie Innes and Harry Endrulat piece together William and Grace’s journey by train to their host family’s Winnipeg farm. Readers experience the story through Teddy’s eyes as Aileen, seeing William’s anxiety, lets her stuffed friend stay with the little boy throughout the train ride and, ultimately, throughout the war.

Brian Deines’ soulful oil paintings capture the spirit of the war years on the homefront. His expressive art communicates both the loneliness of children separated from their families and the joyful conclusion when Grace, William, and Teddy all return to their homes again.

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, Best Books for Kids & Teens
• Commended, Resource Links "The Year's Best"

About Bear on the Homefront

2015 Canadian Children's Book Centre Best Books for Kids & Teens selection

2014 Resource Links "The Year's Best"

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

"[W]ell-paced storytelling and soft, nostalgic watercolor illustrations..."—The New York Times

"Deines' warm oil paintings, suffused with light, are as tender as Teddy's tiny embrace. Child readers, in wartime or not, will give their teddies an extra, grateful squeeze."—Kirkus Reviews

"The story is touching without any hint of sentimentality. The soft, warm palette of the art is beautifully rendered in oils and adds the perfect touch to this heartwarming story."—School Library Journal

"Deines's lush oil paintings showcase the Canadian landscape...Once again, Teddy narrates the story, and his separation from Aileen tenderly mirrors the children's distance from their parents."—Publishers Weekly

"[A]n appealing look into a little-known part of WWII."—Booklist

"Poignant and tender in its writing, this picture book helps to teach today's children about real life experiences during World War II."—Resource Links Magazine

"Bear on the Homefront is an elegant book that parents and educators will enjoy sharing with young children. Highly Recommended."—CM Magazine

"Innes and Endrulat cleverly tell the story from Teddy's point of view, so the reader, like Teddy, hears Aileen’s explanations of what is going on as well as William's and Grace's secrets...Brian Deines soft atmospheric illustrations and rich colours convey an old-fashioned feel to the story."—National Reading Campaign

"The beautiful and calming illustrations by Brian Deines enhance the text and hold the reader’s attention. Bear on the Homefront is a wonderful way to introduce children to history."—Canadian Children's BookNews

"These two heartwarming stories, [A Bear in War and Bear on the Homefront], with softly coloured illustrations, will be read and appreciated by ages five to adult."—The Calgary Herald

"Bear on the Homefront, a beautifully illustrated children's book...manages to talk about war in a way that is gentle, fascinating and educational."—SavvyMom