Linderman, Frank B. Big Jinny; the story of a grizzly bear.

LINDERMAN, Frank B. Big Jinny; the story of a grizzly bear. Univ. of Nebraska Press. 125p. illus, c2005.0-8032-8044-0. $15.00. JS

Jinny, admittedly acting differently from normal grizzly bears by being outgoing and sociable, relates the story of her life from the time of her birth until the birth of her first cubs. Jinny's mother, her brother, and a number of other forest animals factor into the adventures and misadventures of the plot. The intent to increase the appreciation of the "forest folk" on the part of the reader may or may not justify its extreme anthropomorphism. While this makes for an entertaining read, it may also clutter the purely scientific knowledge of the animals in question. Most of us, however, have fond memories of these types of stories and they've generally had a positive influence.

The author, who spent most of his life in the mountains of western Montana, wrote to educate his readers about the habits and behaviors of the forest creatures. As explained in the afterword, this story was published posthumously by the author's granddaughter; he died in 1938. The book is illustrated with some endearing watercolor plates and b/w drawings. It would be a good read-aloud for youngsters not ready to tackle this length of novel on their own. Ann Hart, Trustee, Juniata County Lib., Mifflintown, PA

J--Recommended for junior high school students. The contents are of particular interest to young adolescents and their teachers.

S--Recommended for senior high school students.