Sean Qitsualik-Tinsley

A young Inuit boy named Huuq must search for his true nature and being in this marvelous work of fantasy from Sean and Rachel Qitsualik-Tinsley. Never having fit into his Inhabitant camp, always on the outside, always conscious of his differences, Huuq finds himself transformed into a monster - a creature with a bear arm, a wolverine head, and caribou legs - after he and his dog Qipik, fleeing from some bullies, break open a mysterious egg they find in the middle of a circle of standing show more stones. Now truly exiled from his home and family, Huuq must seek for answers. What was the tiny creature that, having hatched from the egg, was swallowed by Qipik? What or who is Qipik, and where do her loyalties lie? Can Huuq reverse the transformation he has undergone, and regain his human form? Most of all: who and what is Huuq, that this could have happened to him? As he struggles through the bitterly cold northern landscape, our young hero encounters many surprising beings of folklore and mythology, eventually learning that he isn't simply on a quest to restore himself, but also to save his home camp from a terrible evil...

Having greatly enjoyed all of the many picture-books I have read from Inhabit Media, an Inuit-owned publisher based in Nunavut, and specializing in Inuit-themed titles, I was excited to pick up Why the Monster, which is a novel for older children, and the longest, most involved tale I have yet read from this excellent publisher's catalogue. I am so very, very glad that I did, as I think it is an outstandingly beautiful, thoughtful, and moving work, one which I will be pondering for some time to come. There is such a richness here, so much to consider on every page, that I had no sooner finished the book, than I was thinking of rereading it. I certainly reread more than one passage, as I made my way through the story. Although I am not sure I completely understood all of the cosmological underpinnings of the tale - the authors' brief afterword does give some fascinating insights into Inuit beliefs about reality, and the nature of the human soul - what I did grasp often made me stop to consider. The best books make the reader think in a new way, or along new lines, and this is certainly a title that did just that! The story itself was exciting, and I was eager to find out what happened next. Some of the figures and beings encountered - the Deep Mother (clearly the goddess Sedna), the Many Players (the Northern Lights, said to be the Inuits' ancestors) - were already familiar to me, and I enjoyed the way the authors worked them into their story. The idea of the soul's journey being tripartite, reflecting the Land, Sea and Sky, was new to me, but also terribly compelling. So many belief systems have a tripartite understanding of metaphysical ideas! The authors themselves reflect, in that far-too-brief afterword, about the commonalities among world beliefs, when it comes to these things.

Entertaining but also thought-provoking, Why the Monster was a compelling and immensely enjoyable read, one I would strongly recommend, both to readers looking for fantasy fiction with an Inuit cultural setting, and to those who enjoy more philosophical fiction in general. Although I am currently on a book-buying moratorium, I will definitely be making an exception for this one! show less

Inuit author Rachel Qitsualik-Tinsley and her husband Sean Qitsualik-Tinsley craft a riveting chapter book exploring the culture clash between the native Arctic peoples and the invading Norse Vikings more than a thousand years ago. As Vikings left first Norway, then Iceland and then Greenland to locate in Northern Canada, they encountered the Tuniit people that they called Skraelings on Baffin Island. (The now-extinct Tuniit are more commonly called the Dorset people today.)

The story begins show more with nomadic hunter Kannujaq, a member of the dogsledding Inuit (the Arctic people once popularly known as “Eskimos”). Kannujaq encounters a village of Tuniit, people who, to Kannujaq and his relatives, exist only as mythical, sedentary “almost people.” Indeed, Kannujaq says that “his imagination had pictured them with fangs and claws.” But he discovers they are much like himself, if darker, shorter, and stockier, with a language similar enough to be understood. Eventually, Kannujaq and the Tuniit make common cause against the marauding Siaraili (what the Tuniits call the tall, bearded Vikings).

Adult readers will enjoy this account of a little-known era of North American history. The Qitsualik-Tinsleys manage to pack enough historical details about Northern Canada in the Middle Ages and enough suspense into Skraelings, despite its mere 120 pages, to intrigue not just its intended audience of middle-grade readers but their parents and grandparents, as well. What better gift for a child than an adventure story you can read — and enjoy — together.

In the interest of full disclosure, I received this book from NetGalley and Inhabit Media in exchange for an honest review. show less

This would be a wonderful story to share with elementary-aged students. This story beautifully uses the beloved creatures of Alaska to demonstrate uniqueness as a value instead of a flaw. This would be a fantastic story to include in a classroom/community building lesson, having students illustrate themselves and identify their uniqueness.

How the Loon Got Her Markings (and Flat Feet) and Why Raven Is Black

Raven and Loon were both plain white, "stuck without color" until they agree to make pretty coats for each other. Raven made a beautiful coat for Loon, but when it was his turn, he couldn't sit still, and got covered in black soot.

Although the trim size is smallish, the birds' markings and expressions stand out in black and white against a predominantly blue background of ice and sky.

The author is Inuit; illustrator is show more "from a mixed background." show less