Michio Hoshino, The Grizzly Bear Family Book, translated by Karen Colligan-Taylor, (New York: North-South Books), 1992.

Michio Hoshino is an amazing photographer. He has a wonderful capacity to capture wildlife in a way that shows their setting. Often this means making images without the super long lenses that are the trademark of other wildlife photographers. But just when I thought I had a sense of his style from other books, along comes a book full of close-up portraits of Grizzly Bears. Through careful observation, Michio gained almost an insider's look at the bears. I say almost because, tragically, a bear was the cause of Michio's untimely death. But that was after he had produced this wonderful book.

This is a book that almost cries out to be shared with children. It tells the story of the cycle of the year in the life of a bear through a few simple words and a collection of amazing photographs.

I just can't get enough of Michio Hoshino. I know that I never will.