Bear boy : the true story of a boy, two bears, and the fight to be free

Bear Boy is a true-life coming-of-age story of two bears who inspire one boy to stand up for animals, question authority and discover the power of activism. Justin is a typical teenager, dodging school bullies and waging an endless war with his parents. But when he discovers Ursula and Brutus-two sibling black bears being kept in horrific conditions at a nearby zoo-his life begins to change. He finds a cause that ignites his passion and an animal sanctuary willing to take the bears. But there's a catch: he'll have to cover the quarter-million-dollar cost. Undaunted, Justin takes his seemingly insurmountable quest to an international audience, gaining media attention and support from celebrities. With television cameras rolling, Justin fights to free the bears, and it turns out himself. Justin Barker's surprising and moving YA memoir offers the optimism of the 1990s while exploring timely issues of activism, animal rights, and LGBTQ identity with tenderness, unblinking honesty, and heart. "Bear Boy is a coming-of-age story of how two bears inspire one boy to stand up, question authority, fight for animals and discover the power of youth. Justin is a typical teenager dodging school bullies and waging an endless war with his parents. But in 1996 when he discovers Ursula and Brutus, two sibling black bears being kept in horrific conditions at a nearby zoo -- his life begins to change. He finds a cause that ignites his passion and an animal sanctuary willing to take the bears. But there's a catch: he'll have to cover the quarter-million-dollar cost. Undaunted, Justin takes his seemingly insurmountable quest to an international audience, gaining media attention and financial support from celebrities and other people around the world. Just as his campaign gains critical momentum, his parents drop a bomb: the whole family is moving to Central America, forcing him to leave Brutus and Ursula behind just as their cage is engulfed in floodwaters. Defeated and afraid for the bears' lives, Justin finds solace caring for animals at a jungle sanctuary, including Monday an orphaned howler monkey he befriends. He returns home with fresh confidence, makes friends with a motley band of outcasts, and becomes obsessed with the Spice Girls. With television cameras rolling, Justin secures the money to free the bears, and it turns out himself. Justin Barker's nostalgic debut offers the optimism of the '90s while exploring timely issues of activism, animal rights, and being queer with heart, playfulness, and honesty"-- Provided by publisher