Common Sense Media Review
By Regan McMahon
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Polar bear yearns to fly in gentle holiday tale.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 4+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Read
Parent and Kid Reviews
What's the Story?
Dasher is out for for a pre-Christmas flight to see the northern lights when she lands in the snow and meets a polar bear named George. He marvels at the reindeer's ability to fly and she tries to teach him but fails. DASHER AND THE POLAR BEAR part ways, and Dasher goes home. When Christmas Eve arrives, she joins the rest of the reindeer team to pull Santa's sleigh. After they're done, Santa says, "One last stop!" Dasher says, "But your bag is empty. How can we deliver more presents?" Santa smiles and says, "Some presents don't fit inside my bag." He flies the sleigh to the snowy field where George is and invites him to hop in and takes him on an exhilarating ride.
Is It Any Good?
This sweet tale of a polar bear's wish fulfilled adds more evidence that Santa Claus is a pretty nice guy. There's not much to the story in Dasher and the Polar Bear, but the art is beautiful to look at and the vibes are great. Dasher makes a new friend, and Santa offers some Christmas magic in an unexpected, simple way.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about Santa's kindness in Dasher and the Polar Bear. What do you think he means when he says "Some presents don't fit inside my bag"?
George is curious about flying. Have you ever wished you could fly? Where would you go if you could?
What picture in the book is your favorite? Why? How does the author use color to make the snowy scenes look cold?
Book Details
- Author :
- Illustrator : Matt Tavares
- Genre : Picture Book
- Topics : Adventures , Animals ( Wild Animals ) , Fantasy , Friendship , Holidays ( Christmas ) , STEM ( Nature )
- Character Strengths : Curiosity , Gratitude
- Book type : Fiction
- Publisher : Candlewick
- Publication date : September 30, 2025
- Publisher's recommended age(s) : 4 - 8
- Number of pages : 40
- Available on : Hardback, Apple Books, Kindle
- Last updated : October 27, 2025
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