Aknik's traps have been stolen from lately, making him look like a pitiful hunter, and he wants to go on the boats to look for whales with his father. The shaman tells him it may be Kayuktuk, a shadow without a body. Aknik decides to wait for his thief that night, following the sound of footsteps to a fox.
This is a story of wisdom, courage, and compassion - more than it is about coming-of-age, this book shows that sometimes empathy for others will lead to good things. ( )

When Aknik struggles with proving his manhood to his tribe and family, he has to go to extreme measures. After days of unsuccessfully bringing home any type of animal for his family, Aknik starts to believe that he is being stolen from. Again he goes him empty handed, gets made fun of, and being forced into feeling less of a man. He asks his father if he can just skip hunting and go whale hunting with him. His fathers response is, "First, you must prove yourself worthy. And you can not do that with an empty bag." Aknik is hurt by this and decides that he will find the thief. He sets out early one morning set on finding his enemy to bring back an item to prove his worth and learns that his "ghost" is really a fox. Ready to kill the animal, Aknik soon learns that the fox is stealing the food for her family of young foxes. Instead of the death penalty to prove his worth, he decides that other means can be taken. Once back at camp, the Shaman asks for the proof, he gives them a frozen paw print of the fox and tells them the story. All were impressed by Aknik's courage and story, his father was now proud.

Aknik changes more on the inside in this story. He is bitter and upset by the constant thief taking his catch. He knows how he is looked at from his tribe members and even his father, and struggles with it. Through his journey, Aknik learns about his thief and learns that all situations come with many decisions. At the end of this story, Aknik makes a decision and one that he thinks will be enough to make them all proud. ( )