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My Arctic 1,2,3.
Michael Arvaarluk Kusugak. Illustrated by Vladyana Krykorka. Subject Headings:
Preschool - grade 2 / Ages 3 - 7. ****/4
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excerpt:
"esker - a long, narrow ridge of gravel that was formed by a retreating glacier."Michael Arvaarluk Kusugak draws on his Inuit experiences to weave a fascinating tale introducing us to the daily life of Repulse Bay in the Arctic.
A counting book, we meet and count some of the animals Kusugak and his family watch in the Arctic. The illustrations add a wealth of information about the habitat, the inhabitants, and the colours of the region.
excerpt:
"One polar bear walks along the huge floe edge on the Hudson Bay. What do they hunt? Seals...Two ringed seals are sunning themselves on the sea ice during the long spring day.
Ten lemmings scurry among the dwarf willows.
A pack of twenty wolves catch a scent in the air..........
A herd of one hundred caribou migrates in spring.
Millions of berries ripen in the fall...."
These pages of counting progress through to number 10 then jump to 20, then 100 then 1,000,000 and back to "One lone polar bear walks along the shore,
thinking of seals." These pages of counting are followed with 4 pages of
tales about the Arctic world of Michael Kusugak and his family watching the
animals we'd just counted. These are illustrated with delightful black
and white ink drawings.
"Lemmings are little, furry animals with short, skinny, furry tails. Inninajuk caught one and put it in a cage. It had three little ones. The little lemmings had no fur when they were born. We let them go when they could walk. They were smelly."
The book is well thought out, colourful and imaginative, giving us a glimpse of life in the vast Arctic. The language is age appropriate with a glossary on the last page.
Recommended
Naomi Gerrard has a fascination with children's literature, is a reviewer for the Amelia Frances Howard-Gibbon Award and a member of CANSCAIP.
To comment on this title or this review, send mail to cm@umanitoba.ca.
Copyright © 1996 the Manitoba Library Association. Reproduction for personal use is permitted only if this copyright notice is maintained. Any other reproduction is prohibited without permission.
Published by
The Manitoba Library Association
ISSN 1201-9364
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