Egg Hunting
Written by Marie Wassillie, Christina Kern, and Margaret Beaver
Illustrated by Joy Shantz
Published by Lower Kuskokwim School District
ISBN 1-55036-503-7

Summary: A girl goes egg hunting with her parents, and tells the story using numbers.

1. Is there ridicule in the book that may cause embarrassment for the Native American reader?
There is no ridicule in the book that may cause embarrassment for Yup'ik Eskimos or other Native American readers.

2. Are the characters depicted as horrifying or abusers of animals or humans?
The three characters in the book are not depicted as horrifying or abusers of animals or humans. There is one page where the father shot three times, and four birds fell, however, this type of subsistence hunting is normal for Yup'ik Eskimos.

3. Are the pictures of faces, clothing and housing stereotypical of Natives in general?
The pictures of faces are somewhat stereotypical of Yup'ik Eskimos in general, but the clothing used by the characters is the norm for this type of subsistence activity.

4. If it tells a story that comes from my people, does it use language that does not change the context or the meaning? In other words, does the author know exactly that what he is saying is accurate information?
The authors know exactly what they are saying, and do not change the meaning of the story. The illustrations, with the exception of the last page, and the text are accurate for an egg hunting trip.

5. Does it treat Native life as though it were simply a normal part of human existence? Does the writing have warmth and humor, and without any particular attempt to "sound" Native? Are there any particular values that the book brings about?
Yes, the book treats the egg hunting activity that Yup'ik Eskimos participate in as though it were a normal part of their culture. There is no particular attempt to sound Native, as the Yup'ik women write about an egg hunting story using numbers in a realistic sense. The value of traveling together as a family for subsistence is brought out indirectly as the smiling faces depict in the illustrations.

6. Is the information accurate on the life and language on the people, with accurate phonetic spellings?
The information on the text is accurate for an egg hunting trip, however, on the last page where the illustration shows ten big buckets of different eggs and their location inside the boat is totally inaccurate. There is an unwritten rule that when people go egg hunting, they take all the eggs except one, and, they never take more than two buckets, so the amount of eggs found is exaggerated. In addition, in real life the bucket (s) are placed toward the back of the boat where the waves are felt the least, not in the front where the eggs can break due to bow moving up and down.

7. If it is a history book, does it tell how it really was for the People without any lies?
This is not a history book.

8. If written by a non-Native, does it mention in the preface that the author talked with any members of the People he was writing about to get the facts straight?
This book was written by Yup'ik Eskimos who most likely have went on egg hunting trips before, and have experience of what it is like.

9. Are Elders valued and respected in the book?
There are no Elders in the book.

10. Does the book respect the culture of the people it is written about?
Yes, the book is tastefully written about an egg hunting trip, an activity that is practiced yearly and is a part of the Yup'ik Eskimo culture.

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