Title: SUKAQ AND THE RAVEN
Authors: ROY GOOSE and KERRY MCCLUSKEY
Illustrator: SOYEON KIM
Release Date: MAY 15, 2023
Genre: CHILDREN’S BOOK, INUIT CULTURE
Number Of Pages: 36
Book Dimensions: 9.3 inches wide x 9.3 inches high
Ages: 6 to 8
Grades: 1 to 3
Publisher: INHABIT MEDIA
https://inhabitmedia.com
Received From: EDELWEISS
ISBN: 978-1772274349
Rating: 5 OUT OF 5 STARS ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
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DESCRIPTION:
As Sukaq’s mother tells him the story of how the raven created the world, he is suddenly whisked away on the wings of the raven to ride along as the entire world is formed!
Sukaq loves to drift off to sleep listening to his mother tell him stories. His favourite story is the tale of how a raven created the world.
But this time, as his mother begins to tell the story and his eyelids become heavy, he is suddenly whisked away on the wings of the raven to ride along as the entire world is formed!
This traditional legend from Inuit storyteller Roy Goose is brought to life through co-author Kerry McCluskey’s jubilant retelling, and illustrated with photographs of Soyeon Kim’s signature three-dimensional dioramas.
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MY REVIEW:
This is a traditional Inuit story from the Northwest Territories in what is now the country of Canada.
With illustrations so beautifully rendered that they could easily hang in any museum, and an Indigenous creation story that explains how the Inuit have historically explained the creation of the world, SUQAK AND THE RAVEN is a feast for both the eyes and the soul.
Canadians who are truly interested in being part of “Truth and Reconciliation,” need to purchase, and/or advocate for books such as “Suqak and the Raven” to be included in all home, school, and community libraries.
This children’s book is being published by Inhabit Media which everyone needs to learn about. Inhabit is the first Inuit-owned, independent publisher located in the Canadian Arctic and publishes books written in English as well as Inuktitut.
I thoroughly enjoyed this tale and the way it was told. It reminded me of the movie “The Neverending Story” as it is told as a story within a story.
In addition to publishing fantastic books, Inhabit Media also offers FREE Educator’s Resources for many of it’s titles. The link to those resources for this book is HERE.
https://inhabitmedia.com/2022/08/12/sukaq-and-the-raven-educators-resource
I rate SUKAQ AND THE RAVEN as 5+ out of 5 Stars ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ and I plan to donate a hardcover copy of this book my local library.
*** Thank you to #Edelweiss for providing me with a free copy of this book. ***
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ABOUT THE AUTHORS:
Roy Goose learned many of the legends he knows from his great-grandmother, Naimee Mammayuk, who left Alaska and came to Canada around 1910 with the Arctic explorer Vilhjalmur Steffansson.
Roy passed his legends on to his children to teach them important life lessons and morals.
Author Roy Goose was a CBC North Radio One presenter.
Kerry McCluskey is a long-term resident of Iqaluit, Nunavut and has no plans to return to southern Canada.
Kerry and her son River like spending time outdoors, at the rink, and in the kitchen.
To learn more about these authors visit the following links:
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ABOUT THE ILLUSTRATOR:
Soyeon Kim is a Toronto-based illustrator, art educator, and artist, originally from South Korea.
Her work specializes in merging fine sketching and painting techniques to produce three-dimensional dioramas.
Kim is a graduate of York University and has illustrated several children’s picture books, including You Are Stardust, Is This Panama?, and Wild Ideas.
To learn more about this illustrator visit the following links:
OFFICIAL WEBSITE
http://www.kimsoyeonart.com
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ABOUT THE PUBLISHER:
Inhabit Media Inc. is the first Inuit-owned, independent publishing company in the Canadian Arctic. They aim to promote and preserve the stories, knowledge, and talent of the Arctic, while also supporting research in Inuit mythology and the traditional Inuit knowledge of Nunavummiut (residents of Nunavut, Canada’s northernmost territory). Their authors, storytellers, and artists bring traditional knowledge to life in a way that is accessible to readers both familiar and unfamiliar with Inuit culture and traditions.
Incorporated in 2006, Inhabit Media was born out of a need for Nunavut kids to see their culture accurately represented in the books they read in schools. Inhabit Media has spent the last ten years working with elders and storytellers from across the Canadian Arctic to ensure that the region’s unique Inuit oral history is recorded and not lost to future generations.
Many of the stories that they publish have never been written down before, having existed for centuries as tales passed orally from generation to generation. While many of these stories are ancient, they work closely with elders, contemporary Inuit writers, and illustrators the world over to present folktales and traditional stories in a format that will resonate with modern audiences across North America. Inhabit Media’s books do not simply provide a glimpse into Inuit culture; they also represent the preservation of oral history and traditional knowledge that may otherwise have been lost, in a format that contemporary readers will find engaging, entertaining, and informative.
As the first independent publishing company in Nunavut, they are excited to bring Arctic stories and wisdom to the world!
To learn more about this Publisher visit the following links:
OFFICIAL WEBSITE
https://inhabitmedia.com
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Amie's Book Reviews 