Review by Frank Plowright

Rabbit has been responsible for plenty of mischief over previous stories about Rabbit and Bear Paws, but Bear Walker is the first time he’s had to take responsibility for his activities. Rabbit’s father is a healer who concocts the powerful spirit powder, enabling people to temporarily take the form of animals, and Rabbit’s made a promise to pass on the ingredients to another healer. That promise, however, wasn’t his to make.

Tall Bear, the other healer is known to the parents of Rabbit and Bear Paws as a powerful and malign presence. Due to a lack of hunting skills he’s become a Bear Walker, transforming himself into a bear to hunt food, and is powerful enough to threaten the entire community.

Although humility is the given theme of Bear Walker, responsibility is a better fit, and as ever co-writers Christopher Meyer and Chad Solomon include a legend passed down verbally over the centuries. This time it’s of what Nanaboozhoo did during a time of great hunger when he was unable to trap any of the nearby ducks. It’s cleverly told, as Clover Blossom glosses over the ending, and young readers will be encouraged to find out more.

Solomon’s cover has little to do with the main plot, instead picturing the two title characters alongside Strawberry, with whom Rabbit has a rivalry as well as being attracted to her. She has a role, but it’s a strange choice considering the story is titled after Tall Bear and his visual strengths and threat would have made for a more representative and probably stronger image. Solomon’s on surer territory inside where Tall Bear is genuinely disturbing as drawn, and given a sinister look even in standard human form. The sample art shows the chosen route for a race, and another notable illustrations has a spirit manifesting as the Northern Lights.

Bear Walker is the best book in the series to date, less episodic than some earlier books and engaging from start to finish. Council of the Animals is next in the series.

This doesn’t seem listed on most online book sites, but as of writing is available from the Whetung Ojibwa Centre.