An inspired retelling of a beloved tale.
A spin on “The Three Little Pigs” with an Inuit setting in the Nunavut territory of Canada.
This story was written by the Grade Four students of Leo Ussak School in Kangiqliniq, Nunavut, and their teacher Gianfrancesco. After completing a social studies unit on Inuit traditions and reading a variety of fairy tales, the class wrote their own version. The result is the story of three brothers sent out to find food for their community. The youngest brother, Ajagaq, pitches a tent made of caribou skins and prepares to wait out the fierce blowing blizzard, but the wind blows the tent down. Ajagaq is rescued by the middle brother, Tiriaq, and they find shelter by hollowing out a pocket in the side of a snow drift, but the wind rips through this shelter as well. Finally rescued by their eldest brother, Akkiutaq, they find shelter in his carefully built iglu. Despite the efforts of the wind, this is one shelter it cannot blow down. The story is charming and engaging, with a fresh and authentic feeling, due in large part to the use of Inuktut words sprinkled throughout. Paredes makes liberal use of blues and white that make the cold very real, and swirling lines give movement to the menacing wind. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
An inspired retelling of a beloved tale. (glossary of Inuktut words, a note on the authors) (Picture book. 5-8)Pub Date: Nov. 1, 2022
ISBN: 978-1-77227-428-8
Page Count: 36
Publisher: Inhabit Media
Review Posted Online: Sept. 27, 2022
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 15, 2022
These reindeer games are a bit tired but, given the series’ popularity, should have a large, ready-made audience.
The How to Catch A… crew try for Comet.
Having already failed to nab a Halloween witch, the Easter Bunny, a turkey, a leprechaun, the Tooth Fairy, and over a dozen other iconic trophies in previous episodes of this bestselling series, one would think the racially diverse gaggle of children in Elkerton’s moonlit, wintry scenes would be flagging…but no, here they lay out snares ranging from a loop of garland to an igloo baited with reindeer moss to an enticing candy cane maze, all in hopes of snagging one of Santa’s reindeer while he’s busy delivering presents. Infused with pop culture–based Christmas cheer (“Now I’ve already seen the shelf with the elf”), Comet prances past the traps until it’s time to gather up the kids, most of whom look terrified, for a group snapshot with the other reindeer and then climb back into harness: “This was a great stop but a few million to go / Christmas Eve must continue with style!” Though festive, the verse feels trite and unlikely to entice youngsters. A sprinkling of “True Facts About Reindeer” (“They live in the tundra, where they have friends like the arctic bunny”) wrap up this celebration of the predatory spirit. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
These reindeer games are a bit tired but, given the series’ popularity, should have a large, ready-made audience. (Picture book. 5-7)Pub Date: Oct. 4, 2022
ISBN: 9781728276137
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Sourcebooks Wonderland
Review Posted Online: Dec. 12, 2022
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
While the blend of folklore, fantasy and realism is certainly far-fetched, Imani, with her winning personality, is a child...
Imani endures the insults heaped upon her by the other village children, but she never gives up her dreams.
The Masai girl is tiny compared to the other children, but she is full of imagination and perseverance. Luckily, she has a mother who believes in her and tells her stories that will fuel that imagination. Mama tells her about the moon goddess, Olapa, who wins over the sun god. She tells Imani about Anansi, the trickster spider who vanquishes a larger snake. (Troublingly, the fact that Anansi is a West African figure, not of the Masai, goes unaddressed in both text and author’s note.) Inspired, the tiny girl tries to find new ways to achieve her dream: to touch the moon. One day, after crashing to the ground yet again when her leafy wings fail, she is ready to forget her hopes. That night, she witnesses the adumu, the special warriors’ jumping dance. Imani wakes the next morning, determined to jump to the moon. After jumping all day, she reaches the moon, meets Olapa and receives a special present from the goddess, a small moon rock. Now she becomes the storyteller when she relates her adventure to Mama. The watercolor-and-graphite illustrations have been enhanced digitally, and the night scenes of storytelling and fantasy with their glowing stars and moons have a more powerful impact than the daytime scenes, with their blander colors.
While the blend of folklore, fantasy and realism is certainly far-fetched, Imani, with her winning personality, is a child to be admired. (Picture book. 5-8)Pub Date: Oct. 14, 2014
ISBN: 978-1-934133-57-6
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Mackinac Island Press
Review Posted Online: July 28, 2014
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 15, 2014
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