The Orphan and the Polar Bear

by Sakiasi Qaunaq, Eva Widermann Narrated by Louise Flaherty, Vinnie Karetak

Overview

In the world of Inuit traditional stories, animals and humans are not such different creatures, and animals often have much to teach humans about the world.
In The Orphan and the Polar Bear, a little orphan who has been abandoned on the sea ice by a group of cruel hunters is discovered and adopted by a polar bear elder. While living in the bear's village, the orphan learns many lessons about survival and his own place in the world.
Retold for contemporary audiences by Inuit storyteller Sakiasi Qaunaq and illustrated by internationally renowned artist Eva Widermann, The Orphan and the Polar Bear makes this beautiful traditional tale widely accessible for the first time.

Editorial Reviews

From the Publisher

"[T]he folkloric narrative and lush artwork command attention"—Publishers Weekly

"An evocative story that provides a window into an often-ignored culture."—Kirkus Reviews

"This is a great book to introduce people to a culture with which they may not be familiar, and a fantastic way of preserving a story for future generations of the people who belong to it. Highly Recommended."—CM Magazine

Kirkus Reviews

An Inuit folktale of an orphan boy who is trained by polar bears to become a man and a capable hunter. Long ago, when people didn't have rifles, they hunted walrus using harpoons. Each day, an orphan boy accompanies the hunters, but at the end of each hunt, they abandon him. He walks the long way back to camp, following the tracks of the dog teams. One day, he hears someone behind him; it's a huge polar bear who transforms himself into a man and tells the boy to return with him to the island of his bear camp. There the bear teaches him the skills to survive, including seal hunting. A large bear that repeatedly bullies him and takes his catch proves to be his greatest challenge, but his new skills have also taught him courage. The foreword from the publisher credits Canadian North storytelling traditions, the storyteller and the Qikiqtani Inuit Association and Nunavut government, with whom they worked to make the book true to Inuit culture. The blue-toned illustrations realistically portray the landscape, while the text reads with the voice of a storyteller. An evocative story that provides a window into an often-ignored culture. (Picture book/folklore. 7-9)

Product Details

BN ID:	2940178816738
Publisher:	Inhabit Media
Publication date:	11/01/2021
Edition description:	Unabridged
Age Range:	8 - 11 Years

Read an Excerpt

"I have seen how the adults mistreat you, and I have often felt great
pity for your situation. I wish to teach you the skills you need to
survive, so that you will no longer be dependent on these cruel people.
Climb on my back and come with me to my village."

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