Bear

Jasper Robinson-Woods is a thirteen year old boy experiencing very deep and mixed emotions which he mostly is unable to understand or control.

These emotions take the form of anger, anxiety and depression. In Jasper’s mind, they also take the form of Bear who visits him at the most inopportune moments. Can Jasper understand that Bear is a part of himself, and can he learn ways of tempering his sometimes overwhelming feelings? This is a stark, confronting, tender and beautiful first-person exploration of what it feels like to be right in the middle of all these sensations.

Lightfoot does not pull any punches and sometimes Jasper does things which would be considered socially unacceptable. The raw power of this narrative is that Lightfoot does not swerve away from that or the consequences of Jasper’s actions, both for himself and other people. Teens who have experienced any of these feelings will relate strongly to Jasper and will feel validated by the messiness of his experiences.

The author is to be commended for exploring in some detail the process of counselling for teenagers. This will help to demystify the practice of therapy and also to normalise the process for seeking help with mental health issues.

Pippa Keel Situ’s illustrations which are ostensibly by Jasper add a humorous and sensitive dimension which can provide some relief from the heavier topics with which the novel engages.