This is Book 11, Collection II, of the Million-Word Reading Project (MWRP) readers. It is suitable for learners with a basic vocabulary of 1,500 words. Million-Word Reading Project (MWRP) is a reading project for ESL/EFL learners at the elementary level (with a basic vocabulary of 1,500 words). In two years, for about fifteen minutes each day, an ESL/EFL learner can read one million words, and reach the upper-intermediate level, gaining a vocabulary of about 3,500 words and a large number of expressions. [Text Information] Readability | 81.74 Total word count | 21833 Words beyond 1500 | 1128 Unknown word percentage (%) | 5.17 Unknown headword occurrence | 3.64 Unknown words that occur 5 times or more | 69 Unknown words that occur 2 times or more | 156 [Synopsis] This book describes the adventures of a young boy growing up in the wild country of Indiana in the early nineteenth century. Little Balser lives with his parents, a younger brother, and a baby sister in a cozy log cabin on the bank of the Big Blue River. Although he is only thirteen or fourteen years old, he is quite familiar with the dangers and hardship of frontier life. Strange stories are told about a Fire Bear among the settlers in the area. It is said that if one sees the bear and does not kill him, he will die in three months. One stormy night, Balser does see the Fire Bear.... This book is rewritten from "The Bears of Blue River" by the famous American writer Charles Major (1856-1913).