THE HERO’S QUEST

Frederick Bear opens with a retelling of the medieval legend of the founding of Bern, where Frederick and his army of bears, help defeat a ruthless prince who holds the city in his evil grip.

Moving forward to the present day, we meet Benjamin, a young boy who lives with his family in the old town, the Altstadt of Bern. At school, he has a mentor and chess partner in his teacher Urs. The bears at the Bärengraben are his friends, with whom Benjamin confides in.

One day, Benjamin learns that Steingruber, the wealthy and ruthless real estate developer, wants to demolish Bern's historic old town and erect a city of glass skyscrapers in their place! In spite of protests and political efforts, Steingruber wins the right to go to town with his demolition trucks.

Benjamin feels torn between a sense of helplessness and the certainty that he has to do something. Urs encourages him to act, and this leads Benjamin to the final showdown with Steingruber, where with the help of Frederick Bear, he battles to save his beloved city.

The tale of Frederick Bear captivates with it's primal narrative language, stimulating the reader's imagination. This modern take on the hero's quest celebrates the ancient path of the individual, who boldly go their own way to conquer evil.

The numerous illustrations are rendered in meticulous detail, their visual language honouring the medieval reliefs of the Altstadt of Bern, brought masterfully forward with contemporary meaning.

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Anisha Imhasly
Bern