Arctic Stories - Softcover

Kusugak, Michael

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1550374524 ISBN 13: 9781550374520

Publisher: Annick Press, 1998

Synopsis

Ten-year-old Agatha, an Inuit girl, is the reluctant heroine in this tapestry of Arctic tales set in the 1950s. Each tale has its origins in Kusugak’s own childhood experiences.

About this title

About the Author

Michael Kusugak grew up in the Arctic Circle. His books have been teaching children about life in the north for almost 20 years. Michael lives in Rankin Inlet in northern Canada.

Vladyana Krykorka is the celebrated illustrator of more than 30 books for children. She is a lover of Inuit culture and has traveled to the Arctic many times. Born and raised in Prague, she now lives in Toronto.

From Publishers Weekly

Inuit writer Kusugak revisits the tiny Arctic Circle community where he spent his childhood, mining memories of the past in this trio of stories featuring a girl named Agatha. In Agatha's world, everyday life can include waking up in springtime to discover that the family's igloo has collapsed ("She was not inside... anymore; she was outside, in the bright sunshine"). In "Agatha and the Ugly Black Thing," a research blimp flies over the community, frightening the residents, while "Agatha and the Most Amazing Bird" describes the region's many feathered visitors, including a pet raven that returns to Agatha's grandmother each winter. In "Agatha Goes to School," the author pairs forthright comments on the practice of removing Inuit children to convent schools ("The nuns did not make very good mothers and the priests, who were called fathers, did not make very good fathers") with a dramatic story of a skating expedition that goes awry. Kusugak (previously paired with Krykora for My Arctic 1,2,3) writes with clarity and dry humor. The cool colors of the setting's northern exposure bleed through the borders of Krykorka's watercolor and colored-pencil illustrations, creating a soft and slightly dreamy effect, which, unfortunately, is to some degree undercut by the clunky typeface and heavy blocks of text facing the art. In spite of its awkward design, this picture book is a notable addition to the growing body of Inuit lore. Ages 5-9.
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.

About this edition

• Publisher: Annick Press
• Publication date: 1998
• ISBN 10: 1550374524
• ISBN 13: 9781550374520
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 40
• Illustrator: Krykorka Vladyana