Publishers Weekly
Qaunaq, an Inuit elder, retells a traditional story about an orphaned boy who is educated in the ways of being “a man and a capable hunter” by a wise polar bear. Both the folkloric narrative and lush artwork command attention, though the story itself may puzzle readers at times. The unnamed orphan lives with his grandmother and a group of hunters; the boy accompanies the men on walrus-hunting expeditions, but they abandon him after each one (why is never made clear), forcing him to find his way back alone. On one occasion, the boy is confronted by a polar bear that briefly transforms into a man, then takes the boy back to a bear colony where the boy learns to defend himself. In the book’s most dramatic but fuzzy sequence, the boy kills an aggressor polar bear; soon after, the bear resurrects itself and, after screaming angrily for the boy, suddenly extends the paw of friendship. Widermann’s dramatic and sharply drawn pictures of the bears and the icy polar landscape go a long way toward smoothing over the story’s rougher patches. Ages 6–10. (Feb.)
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
School Library Journal
12/01/2013
K-Gr 2—In this tale retold by a contemporary Inuit storyteller, an orphaned youngster is repeatedly abandoned on an ice floe by the seal hunters of his tribe who hope for his death. He is eventually rescued by a polar bear in human form who takes the boy to his own community and teaches him the skills necessary to survive in this harsh land. When he is able to hunt and fight, he is returned to his own kind, having been taught how to become a man. Lovely watercolor illustrations dominated by blue and white hues place readers into the chilly landscape and lend credence to this simple, but cruel tale. The lesson of self-reliance is implied in this stilted translation, but not made explicit enough for younger children. The boy shows no gratitude to his animal rescuers, seems to harbor no resentment against his human tribesmen, and has an unknown future. Useful for folktale collections, but marginal for general storytelling.—Eva Elisabeth VonAncken, formerly at Trinity-Pawling School, Pawling, NY
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)
