In the mid-13th century, Haakon IV, the king of Norway, gave Henry III, the king of England, a white bear, which was sent to live at the Tower of London. A muzzle, iron chain, and “long, strong cord” were purchased to tether the live bear near the river and allow it to fish. Those are the facts—shared in an author’s note—that form the foundation of this artful and moving picture book that speculates on details not revealed by historical documents. The bear—here a female polar bear—is shown as a cub with her mother, learning to survive in the wild. “Imagine how the world must have seemed to her—white-bright and dazzling.” After being caught by trappers, she spends a caged journey on the deck of a ship to England and remains caged—part of a menagerie of unusual animals given to the king—until he orders the muzzle, the chain, and the “long, strong chord” so she can fish in the river. “And for a while, in this faraway land, she finds home.” Use of words like “imagine” and “perhaps” in the primary narrative help readers cue into the conjecture, although the author’s note is essential for a full picture of how this account hangs on a small framework of known facts. Gorgeous acrylic, gouache, and colored pencil illustrations with decorative elements reminiscent of medieval book design further enhance this arresting volume.   (Ages 6-10)