The Polar Bear's Gift (Northern Lights Books for Children)

I'm going to make a statement here that I cannot necessarily back up with facts or figures, yet I believe that what I say is true. There are relatively few picture books out there that follow the adventures of Inuit girls. I'm not the world's foremost expert on what Inuit books have been written for youth in America, but I am certain that amongst them, this is one of the finest.Pani and her grandmother live alone in their own igloo. Pani yearns to become a hunter and bring good food to herself and her grandmamma. However, as a young girl, she must content herself with merely fishing with a lure that once belonged to her mother. Galled by the comments of her peers who claim that girls can never become hunters, Pani spies a dying polar bear cub in the cold wilderness. It would be easy enough to allow the bear to die, thus bringing food and fur into her home and earning herself the long desired title of hunter. Compassion wins over such desires, however, and Pani works to save the bear's life. After having done so, the bear speaks to her and brings her to his home. Pani is rewarded with the gift of a pouch that shall always contain food and furs a-plenty for Pani and her grandmother.The tale is, according to the book's bookflap, a traditional Inuit legend. Just the same, it contains many elements found in myths worldwide. The young girl taking pity on a stronger creature and helping it to live. A packet that is always filled with food. The desire to prove oneself to one's peers. It's all here, but wrapped up in an entirely new light and story. Buskey's writing is crisp and clear, telling a straightforward tale in such a way that the reader never feels bogged down by the dialogue or narrative. Complimenting this tale adeptly are Vladyana Langer Krykorka's incredibly beautiful illustrations. Each page seems to glow with a mix of melded iridescent colors. The pictures here throb with a life entirely of their own. Not only is Krykorka respectful in her depictions of Inuits and their life but she makes a land that some would consider barren look absolutely gorgeous. It's as if the Aurora Borealis was painted onto the landscape itself. Author Jeanne Bushey has lived in the Canadian Arctic for years. Illustrator Vladyana Langer Krykorka has won countless awards. Together, they've created a book of incomparable beauty with a deceptively simple narrative. It is a book well worth reading.