In My Anaana's Amautik - by Nadia Sammurtok (Hardcover)

About the Book

Book Synopsis

"The far north has never felt so deliciously warm." -- ★Kirkus Reviews

"Readers will carry this gorgeous book close to their hearts."-- ★School Library Journal

"Just right for bedtime, it's an intimate tale that celebrates simple warmth and comfort."--Publishers Weekly

Nadia Sammurtok lovingly invites the reader into the amautik--the pouch in the back of a mother's parka used to carry a child--to experience everything through the eyes of the baby nestled inside, from the cloudlike softness of the pouch to the glistening sound of Anaana's laughter. Sweet and soothing, this book offers a unique perspective that will charm readers of all ages.

Review Quotes

"A baby's perspective of being held in its anaana's (mother's) amautik ("the pouch in the back of a woman's parka where a baby can be carried") is explored in lulling, sensory-rich text and illustrations. This gentle story elevates the feelings of comfort and security that the amautik enables."-- ★ Horn Book Magazine, STARRED review

"A tender paean for the youngest readers and their caregivers."--Booklist

"An Inuit baby curled in the pouch of his mother's parka narrates what he sees and feels, protected from the cold and snuggled safe. Each page of this sensory exploration begins with the title phrase and ends with a feeling that the little boy loves, and the illustrations fancifully translate those feelings into swirling pictures. A cozy peek into a baby's small world and big imagination." -- The Boston Globe

"Each spread appeals to a different sense, creating a deliciously cozy and nurturing microenvironment for this lucky tot. Inuit author and educator Sammurtok brings her work preserving Inuktitut to the text, with a spare sprinkling of vocabulary (defined in a closing glossary). The repetition of "In my anaana's amautik" at the beginning of each short paragraph is both lulling and reinforcing of the relationship between child and mother. Canadian illustrator Lishchenko's use of textures and subtle colors blends well with the strong, simple text. Delicate pastels give the Arctic landscape a welcoming beauty, and fanciful depictions of the similes the narrator suggests lend a playful air. The far north has never felt so deliciously warm." -- ★ Kirkus, STARRED review

"In My Anaana's Amautik is a book to be savoured...it begs to be read cuddled close with the little ones we hold most dear."--CM Magazine

"In My Anaana's Amautik is a sweet peek into the Inuit baby pouch...Adults and the little ones to whom they are reading can bond within the glow of this cultural gem as it hugs them in an atmosphere of love."--Shelf Awareness

"Just right for bedtime, it's an intimate tale that celebrates simple warmth and comfort."--Publishers Weekly

"This beautifully lyrical tale set in Northern Canada is a treasure to curl up with again and again."--Resource Links

This gentle story is warm, cozy, and loving--just like being in anaana's amautik. Readers will carry this gorgeous book close to their hearts. -- ★ School Library Journal, STARRED review