Ben the Sea Lion is a true story about when Roy Henry Vickers, his cousin, and his brother took on the responsibility of raising an abandoned sea lion. The story begins with his uncle finding the starving, orphaned sea lion and the boys wanting to raise it, then talking about some of the challenges they faced in following through with their commitment, and ends with the boys facing the emotional task of letting Ben go to live in the wild. The themes of responsibility and commitment would be helpful when teaching students about setting goals. Ben’s dietary needs and growth could be an introduction to learning about local wild animals and their needs. Roy Henry Vickers is a Tsimshian Storyteller and artist.

Cautions / Content Warnings: As Roy Henry Vickers mentions in his Author's Note, people are not allowed to keep wild animals anymore.
Other End Matter: Author's Note about not keeping wild animals as pets anymore.
Images: Colour illustrations
Contributor Affiliation: Roy Henry Vickers (Tsimshian)
Bibliography: No
Index: No

Source: Books BC - BC Books for Schools & Indigenous Books for Schools

Roy Henry Vickers is a renowned carver, painter and printmaker whose Eagle Aerie Gallery in Tofino, BC, has become a provincial landmark. Roy was appointed to the Order of British Columbia in 1998 and to the Order of Canada in 2006. He is the co-author of the immensely popular children's Northwest Coast Legends series, of which three books were shortlisted for the Bill Duthie Booksellers' Choice Award: Raven Brings the Light in 2014, Cloudwalker in 2015 and Orca Chief in 2016. He is the author of several other books that showcase his art, including Storyteller (Harbour Publishing, 2014). He currently lives in Hazelton, BC.

Roy Henry Vickers' profile page

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