Arthur is a young runaway escaping an abusive stepfather. He steals a bit of supper and is on the run from a couple of thugs when he discovers the captive bear. Of course he is afraid of the bear, but he also feels a connection with it. The bear is a gift from King Haakon IV of Norway to King Henry III of England. Because of his affinity to the bear, Arthur joins the expedition. Of course the thugs from earlier are part of the crew and continue to torment Arthur. He takes solace in caring for the bear. After they are attacked by pirates and run aground during a storm, Arthur frees the bear thinking it will drown. The two enjoy their freedom on land and discover a bond with each other. But of course they must go back to civilization.

I enjoyed Arthur's journey with the pale bear. You definitely feel like Arthur that the bear is worth saving and mourn its captivity. I found their bond really interesting. I especially enjoyed the fact that this story is based on real events. There truly was a captive bear in Henry III's menagerie that did actually swim in the Thames. I kind of wish the story would have continued a bit more to see how Arthur and the bear fared.