Chasing The Bear Young Spencer Robert B Parker by Robert B. Parker instant download after payment.

Grade 7 Up—Robert B. Parker, author of scores of books featuring his popular character Spenser, explores the fictional detective's formative years in this first title (Philomel, 2009) in a series intended for teens. Told in a series of vignettes related by an adult Spenser to his wife, events in his teen years illustrate how he developed a strong moral code. Living with his father and two uncles, Spenser becomes a man with a fierce sense of right and wrong. Facing down a drunken bear in the woods and inadvertently allowing a friend's father to die so that he would not be able to abuse her, Spenser slowly figures out how to act as a man would, making his own decisions and standing by what he believes. Daniel Parker's well-paced narration matches the meandering remembrances that reveal Spenser's character. Purchasers should be aware that there is a blatant use of the word "ass," as well as some heavy fighting, drinking, and sexual discussion. This title may appeal more to Parker's adult fans than to teens.—_Jessica Miller, New Britain Public Library, CT_
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It was really only a matter of time. Having limbered up with two previous YA novels, Parker now begins a series starring his detective hero, Spenser, as a teen. He frames the narrative by having an adult Spenser relating childhood stories to the love of his life, Susan, an unnecessary device that might simply keep teens reading at arm’s length. Addressing how his tough and upright personality developed, it turns out he was reared by three of the toughest and most upright guys in town, his father and uncles. The men teach the boy that there’s legal, and then there’s right, and that “If it’s not worth fighting about, then it’s not worth a lot of mouth.” And wouldn’t you know it, there’s plenty worth fighting about, and even at a young age Spenser has perfected the art of the steely gaze and terse response. The morality questions that he cuts his teeth on involve a violently alcoholic father and an epidemic of racial bullying but mostly provide an opportunity to buttress Spenser’s almost corny—but undeniably entertaining—notion of manliness. A clean, sharp jab of a read. Grades 7-10. --Ian Chipman