Very Last First Time - by Jan Andrews (Hardcover)

About the Book

This ALA Notable Book tells the story of Eva, who lives in an Inuit village in northern Canada. In the winter, people search along the bottom of the seabed beneath a thick shelf of ice for mussels to eat. Eva usually helps her mother, but for the first time, she's going to go by herself. She soon gathers a pan full of mussels. But then, her candle goes out, and the tide threatens to return. Full-color illustrations.

Book Synopsis

A classic story of an Inuit girl's first experience going alone under the ice to collect mussels.

Eva's journey is a very special one. Today, she will walk on the bottom of the sea alone. She will go into the cave that is under the ice when the tide is out. She will search for mussels as her people have done for centuries. She will find herself in darkness. She will find too she has brought what she needs with her. She will come again into the light.

Correlates to the Common Core State Standards in English Language Arts:

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.K.3
With prompting and support, identify characters, settings, and major events in a story.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.2.5
Describe the overall structure of a story, including describing how the beginning introduces the story and the ending concludes the action.

Review Quotes

A unique experience for young listeners and an intriguing introduction to another culture.-- "Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books"