Coco

Marie-Paule Mahoney

Description

Coco, an orphaned bear cub born in the Adirondack Mountains of New York State, is heartbroken to leave her canine friends, Molly, Rags, and Pupsie. But as Babou, the adult male bear who cares for her, explains, it is time to find a mama bear to adopt Coco and teach her how to live as a free, wild bear. Babou and Coco set out on a perilous journey-with close encounters with a mountain lion and an intimidating group of male bears. Eventually, they meet Good Mama, who adopts Coco. But the adjustment is tough. Coco has a lot to learn about being a "real" bear! Plus, she misses her friends, and her stepsister resents her. Coco tells the story of the young bear's first hibernation with her adopted family in a cave full of bats; a sweet reunion with Molly, Rags, and Pupsie; and many other adventures as Coco matures and eventually has a family of her own. Part truth, part fiction, this child-friendly book smoothly weaves themes of adoption and bullying in a sweet yet realistic tale of survival

Sujets

• Bears
• Juvenilee Fiction
• Animals

Informations

• Publié par: Outskirts Press
• Date de parution: 30 juillet 2018
• Nombre de lectures: 0
• EAN13: 9781977202055
• Langue: English

Extrait

Coco All Rights Reserved. Copyright © 2018 Marie-Paule Mahoney v4.0
The opinions expressed in this manuscript are solely the opinions of the author and do not represent the opinions or thoughts of the publisher. The author has represented and warranted full ownership and/or legal right to publish all the materials in this book.
This book may not be reproduced, transmitted, or stored in whole or in part by any means, including graphic, electronic, or mechanical without the express written consent of the publisher except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.
Outskirts Press, Inc. http://www.outskirtspress.com
ISBN: 978-1-9772-0205-5
Library of Congress Control Number: 2018900505
Photos © 2018 www.gettyimages.com . All rights reserved - used with permission.
Color Illustrations by: Victor Guiza. Color Illustrations © 2018 Outskirts Press, Inc. All rights reserved - used with permission.
Black and White drawing by: James Mahoney. All rights reserved - used with permission.
Outskirts Press and the “OP” logo are trademarks belonging to Outskirts Press, Inc.
PRINTED IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
To my husband,
Jim,
who inspired me to develop empathy
for all living creatures
“It is only with the heart that one can see rightly; what is essential is invisible to the eye.”
ANTOINE DE SAINT-EXUPÉRY
The Little Prince
Table of Contents
Chapter One - The Long Journey North
Chapter Two - The Search for a Mama Bear Begins
Chapter Three - An Encounter with a Mountain Lion
Chapter Four - Missing Friends
Chapter Five - The Dada Bears
Chapter Six - The Mama Bears
Chapter Seven - Good Mama
Chapter Eight - Good Mama’s Den
Chapter Nine - Change of Life for Coco
Chapter Ten - Going into Hibernation
Chapter Eleven - Early Spring
Chapter Twelve - Mission Garbage
Chapter Thirteen - Farewell Party
Chapter Fourteen - The Pup Fox
Chapter Fifteen - The Waterfall
Chapter Sixteen - The Reunion
Chapter Seventeen - Drama in the Forest
Chapter Eighteen - A Special Jacket
Chapter Nineteen - Frankie the Crow
Chapter Twenty - Harvesting Honey
Chapter Twenty-One - The Present
Chapter Twenty-Two - The Magical Blue Line
Chapter Twenty-Three - Visiting the Lodge
Chapter Twenty-Four - Saying Good-Byes
Chapter Twenty-Five - Bears Don’t Wear Collars
Chapter Twenty-Six - Fun Time in the Mountains
Chapter Twenty-Seven - Arrivals
Chapter Twenty-Eight - Coco’s New Role
Acknowledgments
Chapter One
The Long Journey North
Babou kept a steady pace. Coco held on tightly with her claws dug into his thick neck. Why is Babou taking me for a ride at the coming of night? Coco wondered . And why were my friends, the three dogs, so sad to say good-bye to us?
She was hungry, but worse, she was heartbroken. She began to cry.
“Don’t cry, my little one. We are going to stop and have something to eat,” said Babou.
It was early spring. Babou passed by a maple tree with huge leaf buds hanging down. He stripped off a bunch with his front paw. “Taste these, Coco.” The buds were one of her favorite treats.
“Thank you,” she whispered.
Babou continued his journey, going on a steep path over a hill. Coco was getting more and more tired. The ride was bumpy and Babou’s shoulder blades rubbed against her.
“Look at this big pine tree!” Babou said as he stopped. Like all bears do, he sniffed the air then smelled the trunk to check for anyone else’s presence. “It is the perfect place for us to spend the night.”
“Where are we going?” Coco implored.
He had dreaded her to ask him. “We are going back north to the mountains.”
“Why?”
He did not answer.
“Is it because I crossed my friends’ little bridge to follow them to their house?” Coco asked sadly.
“No, I was never annoyed with you for that. But the dogs’ Dada and Mama would be frightened to find you in their house. Other humans could also see you.”
“So what?”
“Coco, humans don’t want to see bears where they live. They would call special people to capture both of us.”
“And what would those special people do to us?”
“I don’t know, but bears can’t trust humans.” Coco started to shake with fear. “Don’t worry! I won’t let that happen!”
“Then why did we leave?” Coco asked.
“We are both very tired tonight. Let’s talk about it more in the morning.”
Coco grasped Babou’s neck with her forepaws. He climbed up the tree high enough to feel safe. She snuggled against his huge belly, and he wrapped his forearms around her. In no time, she fell asleep, her heart beating against his chest.
When Babou saved Coco’s life, her well-being became his responsibility. He had not wanted to tell her so soon why he was taking her away from her friends to bring her north. But now, he realized that he would have to reveal his plan. How could he ever make up for Coco having lost her mother and her twin brother during their hibernation last winter? Babou wondered.
Chapter Two
The Search for a Mama Bear Begins
Cranky crows sent their loud caws to greet the morning.
“Wake up, Coco. We have to get something to eat.”
She was still exhausted from the journey. Babou carried her down the tree.
“Babou, why did you make me leave my friends Molly, Rags, and Pupsie?”
He took a deep breath. “I want to find a mama bear who will adopt you into her own family.” Coco opened her mouth, but no words came out. “She will teach you what it means to be a free, wild bear.”
Coco started to cry.
“My little Coco, there are so many things that you need to learn to survive in the wild.”
“What things?”
“How to be aware of danger if large bears or wolves come close. They can be mean and dangerous,” said Babou. “How to care for yourself and later for your own family.”
“But you could teach me all that,” said Coco.
“Only mama bears can teach young bear cubs how to be wild bears. And I am not a mama bear.”
After a while Coco asked him, “Why can’t we find a mama near my friends?”
“Because most mama bears spend nearly all year farther north up in the mountains away from people. That’s where their cubs have lots of room to play safely.”
Coco’s eyes filled with more tears.
“How are you going to find a mama bear?” she gasped.
“I don’t really know,” said Babou. “But I have to search very carefully for the right one.” He nodded. “The last time I crossed this area, I discovered a garbage dump on the edge of the next little town. A few mama bears were passing by on their way north. They were digging in the garbage to fetch food for their cubs and themselves. Maybe there are still mama bears there who could help. Coco, why don’t we check that place?”
She did not answer. Babou placed her on his back and made his way to the rubbish dump. His mouth began to water at the thought of eating the food humans had thrown away, like leftover dried-up pizzas, hamburgers, and macaroni-and-cheese dinners. When he arrived, he circled the dump, looking around. The place was different. The trash pile had gone. There were no mama bears to be seen. “We will have to go much farther to the north, Coco.”
Chapter Three
An Encounter with a Mountain Lion
After many weeks on the trails, Babou with Coco reached the Adirondack Mountains of New York State. Their peaks gently caressed the sky. Small streams seemed to pop out at every turn Babou took. The water was crystal clear. He noticed large trout and salmons gliding under it. Coco became fascinated trying to spot the endless schools of small silvery minnows. Whenever a stream appeared, she pleaded, “Babou, stop. I want to play with the fish.”
“No, not right now, later,” he said each time.
On that warm summer day, Babou felt the sun shining on his back. Coco also complained about the heat. He pointed at water cascading from the mountain at a distance.
“That’s where we are going to stop, Coco.”
Both bears jumped into the pool below the waterfall. In no time at all, Babou gorged himself on a huge pink salmon. He got out, sat under a big bush, and watched Coco play in the water. His fatigue overwhelmed him and he fell asleep. Her nose in the water, Coco kept hunting the tiny minnows. She proudly shouted, “Look, Babou!” every time she managed to catch one. She didn’t seem to care that he didn’t answer. After a while, she climbed out of the water. “It was so much fun,” she called out to Babou, waking him up. He blinked a few times. A few feet from Coco stood a large light-brown cat! Her mouth was open, showing her long, sharp teeth. I don’t believe my eyes! Babou thought . It is a mountain lion. She stared fiercely at Coco, who was shaking the water from her coat, unaware of the presence of the lioness. Babou knew that the mountain lion could kill the little Coco with one swipe of her clawed forepaw. He froze with fear.

Mountain Lion prepares to Jump
The mountain lion sprang forward like an arrow. She grabbed Coco by the scruff of her neck and carried her away between her teeth. Coco screamed in terror. Babou dashed at the mountain lion from behind. He leaped through the air, landed on the lion’s tail, and sank his teeth into her tailbone. The mountain lion opened her mouth and snarled in excruciating pain, letting go of Coco. Babou picked her up by the nape of her neck and broke into a gallop. He ran until exhaustion overtook him. He stopped, smelled the air, and looked in all directions. The mountain lion had not followed them. “We are safe here, Coco.”
She was in shock, trembling all over. Babou sat her down and thoroughly checked her neck, which the lioness had snatched so violently. To his relief, the cut was not too deep. He stood on his hind legs and carried her in his arms to a mountain spring. There he strode into the water and washed her neck gently. Coco started to relax. She watched a pair of bald eagles flying low over the water. From time to time they dived to catch a fish in their spread claws. Then she looked straight into Babou’s eyes.
“Let’s go back to Molly, Rags, and Pupsie’s land where there are no nasty animals.”