This collection is not only the handsomest gathering of Inuit folktales ever, but one that will bring readers as close to a living oral tradition as printed material can. After working with folklorists and Inuit storytellers, Norman recasts ten stories from every corner of this widespread culture. While versions of several stories appeared in his Northern Tales (1990), they will be new to young readers. Most have a humorous cast: A shaman enrages a rude visitor with a succession of hilarious, earthy insults; stubborn Uteritsoq ignores good advice and has his "stomach guts" stolen by a moon spirit; when the Ark becomes locked in Hudson Bay ice, a crabby Noah refuses to have anything to do with the local villagers, and so is forced to eat many of his animals—plus a woolly mammoth that comes on board. Between each tale's two or three magical, formal, full-page paintings, the Dillons recapitulate events in a small black-and-white running frieze, composed of human and animal figures done in a style evocative of Inuit art. A pleasure to see, to hold, and to read—this is elegant bookmaking matched to entertaining, perceptive storytelling. Story notes appended. (Folklore. 9+)
Pub Date: Oct. 1, 1997
ISBN: 0-15-230979-9
Page Count: 146
Publisher: Harcourt
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 1, 1997
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
Rachel's sixth grade is producing a video news program. Her popular best friend, Cherry Hill, has one of the coveted anchor slots, while Rachel is stuck with researching and writing. Finding newsworthy events is difficult until Rachel chokes, Cherry Hill rescues her with the Heimlich maneuver, and the camera just happens to be running. When the story is picked up by local TV, the AP, and People magazine, Cherry Hill's quick thinking makes her a celebrity. With Cherry Hill enjoying the limelight and Rachel's humiliating predicament replayed ad nauseam, the latter's gratitude is tempered by resentment. A thoughtful and entertaining novel—realistic in its detailing of preadolescent social jockeying and the minutiae of class politics—that involves readers in questions of journalistic ethics and the nature of friendship. Changes in the major characters are delineated subtly and believably—Cherry Hill gets progressively more affected and shallow as she is lionized, while Rachel (a ``quiet, brainy type'') becomes more assertive and self- confident and is finally able to relinquish a friendship that she had valued chiefly as a hedge against social insecurity, and to form others based on shared interests and values. (Fiction. 9-12)
Pub Date: Oct. 6, 1992
ISBN: 0-671-75442-4
Page Count: 197
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 1, 1992
``Gatanan, gatanan, ta je, ta komo. A story, a story, let it go, let it come.'' Three Hausa and five Ashanti tales ``remembered'' by the author are retold in such a personal style that one can almost hear the teller's voice. Larungu includes pourquoi stories, trickster tales, and legends based on historical events; even the familiar ones are presented in unusual versions—in ``The Spider and the Terrible Great Ones,'' Spider not only tricks the elephant and hippopotamus into giving him food, then engaging in a tug-of-war, but escapes their enmity with a third deception. The collection has obvious didactic intent—detailed explanatory essays and African proverbs are strewn between stories—but the simple language and pervasive good humor make the lessons more than palatable. Illustrated with amateurish b&w drawings based on African scenes and motifs. (Folklore. 9-12)
Pub Date: Sept. 1, 1992
ISBN: 1-878893-21-1
Page Count: 96
Publisher: N/A
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 1, 1992
© Copyright 2026 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Follow
Popular in this Genre
We can’t wait for you to join Kirkus!
It’s free and takes less than 10 seconds!
Already have an account? Log in.
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
Welcome Back!
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
