Arctic Adventures - by Raquel Rivera (Hardcover)

About the Book

Extreme weather, hunger, magic, hunting, and the land are themes that shape the existence of the Inuits' of the Far North. These stories -- retold by Raquel Rivera based on the lives of native artists Pudlo Pudlat, Jessie Oonark, Kenojuak Ashevak and Lazarusie Ishulutuk -- offer young readers a glimpse into this rich, remote culture, past and present. In "Pudlo and Kapik Go Hunting," a young boy drifts out to sea on an ice floe; "Oonark's Arctic Adventure" tells of a mother and daughter stranded on the icy tundra; "The Shaman's Granddaughter" movingly explores loss and mystery; and "Lazarusie and the Polar Bears" reveals just how finely attuned the relationship between animals and humans can be. Accompanying each story are illustrations by Jirina Marton, who has spent time in the Arctic and whose deep appreciation for its subtle beauty shines through her art. In addition to the stories, there is a feature spread on each artist with a photograph, a brief biography, and a reproduction of one of the artist's works.

Book Synopsis

The land, hunting, hunger, magic and extreme weather are themes that resonate for Inuit who live in the Far North. These stories, drawn from the lives of four Inuit artists, offer young readers a glimpse into this rich, remote culture, past and present. Accompanying each story are illustrations by Jirina Marton, who has spent time in the Arctic and whose deep appreciation for its subtle beauty shines through her art. In addition to the stories, there is a feature spread on each artist with a photograph, a brief biography and a reproduction of one of the artist's works.

Review Quotes

...a clever way to introduce art to young readers and works seamlessly to offer up both a compelling story and the beauty of a lesser-known art.-- "Today's Parent"

...a delightful book and the illustrations bring the story beautifully to life. It is well worth adding to any collection...-- "Resource Links"

...a great story-time read...four stars.-- "Sarah's Stars"

...a wealth of information on Inuit culture, both past and present...-- "Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books"

...[this] book has a lot to offer.-- "Multicultural Review"

Beautiful illustrations...show the individual people and creatures in the Arctic landscape close up, sometimes with an edge of magical realism.-- "Booklist"

Rivera's unpretentious storytelling is perfectly suited to these tales, which resonate with mythic force...evidence that an alien way of life can be powerfully transmuted and shared.-- "Toronto Star"

This book beautifully balances stories that document a vanishing way of life, aboriginal art, and information about the Arctic. Children will thoroughly enjoy the stories, and teachers will relish this contribution to the all-too-scarce resources for the curriculum about Canada's North. It is a little gem.-- "CM Magazine"

This book, a must for bookstores, rates as a sophisticated and innovative introduction to Inuit art and culture and is one of the best Canadian children's non-fiction titles to emerge so far in 2007.-- "Canadian Bookseller"

Through the simple and effective technique of narrating dramatic episodes in the lives of four Inuit artists...Rivera gives us a taste of a vanished way of life, a sense of the unimaginable hardships that shaped these artists' characters, and a glimpse of their work that grew so organically from their experiences on the land...Marton's artistry makes the reader experience the uncertainty and thrill of visual discovery.-- "Quill & Quire, STARRED REVIEW"