Follow two Alaskan cubs through their first year—and learn what it takes for a cub to become a bear—in this engaging picture book written by a noted zoologist. Through a carpet of pine needles and a small hill of moss, twigs, and soil, three shiny black noses push up into the crisp air. Spring has arrived in Alaska, and after spending many months hibernating, a brown bear is waking up. She was alone when she fell asleep at the start of winter, but now she is climbing out of her den with a pair of cubs to protect and nurture. As they grow, she will have to teach them how to survive in the wilderness, from climbing trees to foraging berries and nuts to snatching salmon out of the river. Despite their sharp teeth and long claws, grizzly bears’ lives aren’t so simple, and one day these young bears will be on their own. The lyrical text is beautifully illustrated and threaded through with fascinating facts, while an author’s note at the end offers more about brown bears for curious readers.