Ordering Information
$16.95, 5.5 x 8.5 in, PB, 242 pages, 28 sketches
ISBN: 978-1-963714-12-8
Publication date: February 3, 2026
To order copies, please visit CasemateIPM.com or give them a call at (610) 853-9131.
Gift of the Bear
by Patricia Zube
It’s 1755, and the French and Indian War is beginning. In Massachusetts,12-year-old Edward Abbott meets an exiled French Acadian boy who was separated from his parents when they were deported from Nova Scotia. When Edward learns about the horrible things that happened when the Acadian people were forcibly removed from their homeland, he vows to help his new friend, Johnny Bear, find his family.
Readers’ Comments
“This adventure follows 12-year-old Edward Abbott and his family as they take in a family of exiles from Nova Scotia. …A journey through religious conflict, capture by indigenous people, and ultimately, resolution. Sure to be a hit with fans of historical fiction!”
—Brian Lies, children’s book illustrator and author, Caldecott Honor for The Rough Patch, 2019
“Patricia Zube’s lively and beautifully crafted novel carries the true and tragic story of 14,000 Acadians who were ripped from their ancestral homeland. But, more than history, this is also the tale of an unlikely friendship set against war crises and prejudice of the day. Gift of the Bear promises to inspire readers of all ages and spark new interest in a past that still echoes today.”
—Patrick Lacroix, Director of the Acadian Archives, Fort Kent, Maine
“Ageless theme of friendship and courage set in 1700s New England… A rousing adventure! I highly recommend this book for middle grade readers, parents and teachers.”
—Darlene Greenwood, former 4th grade teacher, current member of Pelham, NH, school board
About the Author
Patricia Zube’s passions for writing and research into family history led her to Gift of the Bear. As a young girl, she found out she descends from both French Acadians and English colonists. It has been her life’s dream to tell this story of unwelcomed Acadian exiles and those who opened their hearts and homes to kindly care for them. Patricia is a member of SCBWI, New Hampshire Writers’ Project, New Hampshire Historical Society, Poetry Society of New Hampshire, and the American-Canadian Genealogical Society. Patricia has been published in various university anthologies and newsletters in the United States and Canada. Her poetry has been published in regional anthologies.
