The Spirit of the Sea - by Rebecca Hainnu (Paperback)

About the Book

Book Synopsis

This beautifully illustrated picture books tells the story of the spirit of the sea, referred to as Nuliajuq, Sedna, Takannaaluk, and many other Inuktitut names.
Once a young woman who refused to marry, the lies and deceit of a treacherous bird and her own father's cowardice lead Nuliajuq to a life of solitude at the bottom of the ocean as the powerful, at times vengeful, spirit of the sea.

The Spirit of the Sea provides young readers with an authentic retelling of one of the most important, powerful legends in the canon of Inuit traditional stories.

Review Quotes

"A popular Inuit cautionary legend, featuring a haughty young woman and a gruesome climactic twist."--Kirkus

"The text, which is appropriate for upper elementary readers and above, is meant to be read aloud and generally has the sound of a traditional storyteller's voice. The watercolours by Hwei Lim are beautiful and ethereal. The Spirit of the Sea is highly recommended for elementary school libraries, public libraries and libraries specializing in Canadian Indigenous materials."--Deakin Review

"The Spirit of the Sea would be great for reading aloud, independent reading and comparing to other indigenous legends."--Canadian Teacher

About the Author

Rebecca Hainnu lives in Clyde River, Nunavut, with her daughters, Katelyn and Nikita. Rebecca believes it is important to teach Inuit traditional knowledge about the land, animals, people, history, and philosophies. Her family is usually on the land throughout the seasons. She hopes to pass on some knowledge through her writing. Her work includes Edible and Medicinal Arctic Plants: An Inuit Elder's Perspective, The Spirit of the Sea, A Walk on the Shoreline, Math Activities for Nunavut Classrooms, and Classifying Vertebrates. Rebecca is an educator in a K-12 school. She was the recipient of the 2016 NTA Award for Teaching Excellence.

Hwei Lim draws comics (the Boris & Lalage series; Spera: Volume 1; and Mirror, with Emma Rios) and illustrates books (The Spirit of the Sea, Animals Illustrated: Narwhal, and Dragonhearted). Hwei lives in Malaysia.