The Escaped Bear

From award-winning author Sheela Chari comes the funny and heartwarming story of an unlikely friendship between a girl and a bear on the hilly streets of San Francisco. Perfect for fans of Katherine Applegate, Kate DiCamillo, and Rosanne Parry.

Mala doesn’t want to go to school. Not since her best friend moved away. So one morning she hatches a sneaky plan to ditch school and escape to the beach. She’ll hop on the cable car and be right on her way.

The last thing Mala expects to see is a bear. That talks.

Turns out, the bear has a plan of his own: to see the famous sights of their famous city. But when his map flies away, Mala offers to help. She’s never met a talking bear before! Maybe she can show him around and still get to the beach. Little does she know, Sun Bright Zoo is on the lookout for an escaped bear, with a gaggle of experts on the trail: a cop, detective, bear keeper, and even a clown. Not only that, Mala’s parents learn she’s missing from school and are desperate to find her.

With so many people closing in, will Mala make it to the beach and the bear see his fill? Can a girl and a bear be friends, and outwit them all? One thing is for sure: Mala is having the time of her life and never wants it to end. Braving steep streets and rocky shores, she and the bear discover that friendship is the boat that carries them through laughter, loss, and change.

The Escaped Bear is a charming and hopeful story with stunning black-and-white interior illustrations throughout about making friends and saying goodbye, and how hello might be waiting for you around the corner.