I WOULD GIVE YOU MY TAIL

An Inuk child embarks on an enlightening journey through nature as he prepares to become a big brother.

Kalluk’s mom goes into labor and needs Grandmother’s assistance, so the helpful youngster sets off on a long walk, meeting animals along the way. Their delight makes Kalluk curious, and they tell him that their joys are rooted in the quotidian and in their connections to one another and the ecosystem. A babbling brook is “happy because I am cold and I am clean. The rocks tickle as I run over them, and the fish delight me.” The rabbits “love to be fast…and clever”; they also express their love for one another by exclaiming, “I would give you my tail if I could”—an especially poignant sentiment echoed by the fox pups. Kalluk repeats this tender phrase when he finally meets his new sister, promising to care for her always. Each encounter leaves Kalluk grateful—for the rabbit stew he eats, for the water he drinks, and for the fox fur mitts he wears—and he vows to pass that thankfulness on to his sibling. Each word of throat singer and songwriter Tagaq’s (Inuk) unhurried narrative is steeped in love and reverence for nature, while her characters are generous of spirit, brought to life with heartwarming simplicity by Manumie’s spare colored pencil drawings. Uplifting in tone and engaging in delivery, this picture book honors Inuk wisdom, storytelling, and kinship.

A poetic homage to Indigenous families and their deep-seated connections to the natural world.