Sun Mar 1 at 3:00 pm
An Andover Story
Calling all readers, families, educators and local history lovers, young and old! We’re delighted to invite you to a special author event with Patricia Zube, celebrating her powerful middle-grade novel, Gift of the Bear (Peter E. Randall Publisher), a story of friendship, courage, and a little-known chapter of American history set right here in Andover.
Taking place in 1700s New England during the French and Indian War, Gift of the Bear follows 12-year-old Andover boy Edward Abbott after his family takes in exiles from Nova Scotia. When Edward befriends Johnny Bear, an Acadian boy separated from his family, their bond leads them on a daring journey. Reviewers call it “a rousing adventure… sure to be a hit with fans of historical fiction.”
Praised as a “lively and beautifully crafted novel” that brings to life a rarely told history, Gift of the Bear is also “an unlikely friendship set against the war cries and prejudice of the day”—a story that “promises to inspire readers of all ages.”
Author Patricia Zube, a former teacher and librarian with deep Acadian roots, brings a little-known chapter of our past vividly to life, with themes that resonate deeply today. She will share the real history behind the novel, her research in New England archives, and what inspired her to set this story in Andover.