Kits, Cubs, and Calves: An Arctic Summer – written by Suzie Napayok-Short, illustrated by Tamara Campeau, Inhabit Media Inc., 9781772272741, 2020
Format: Hardcover
Rating: 1-5 (5 is an excellent or a Starred review) 4
What did you like about the book: A wonderful Inuktitut family story during an Arctic summer that displays the many connections between humans and our natural world. The importance of caring for our environment and our responsibility to respect nature and all the animals that live here. Akuluk is visiting her relatives in Nunavut, Canada. She hears and sees the many Tundra animals, such as the polar bear and her cubs; a family of beluga whales, Arctic fox kits, and a litter of puppies that will become a team of sled dogs. The text is information rich and the illustrations are detailed and colorful. The back pages include an Inuktitut dictionary and a pronunciation guide.
Anything you didn’t like about it? The illustrations are beautiful and very expressive. The text is full of lots of culture and information but I think I would have liked it better with less written words on each page and maybe more of the detailed information at the back of the book with the dictionary and pronunciation guide.
To whom would you recommend this book? A great earth science story for grades 1-3 and when learning about the Tundra animal habitat.
Who should buy this book? elementary schools, home and public libraries
Where would you shelve it ? Picture books
Should we (librarians/readers) put this on the top of our “to read” piles? no
Reviewer’s Name, Library (or school), City and State: Julie Durmis, J.C. Solmonese Elementary School, Norton, MA
Date of review: December 26, 2020
Youth Services Book Review 
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