The Hungry Giant of the Tundra
Retold by Teri Sloat; Illustrated by Robert and Teri Sloat
Published by Dutton Children's Books: New York
ISBN 0-525-45126-9

Summary: The hungry giant is tricked out of his delightful supper.

1. Is there ridicule in the book that may cause embarrassment for the Native American reader?
In this retelling of a Yup'ik story, there is no ridicule in the book that may cause embarrassment for the Yup'ik Eskimo, or any Native American reader.

2. Are the characters depicted as horrifying or abusers of animals or humans?
No, the children in the book are not horrifying, or abusers of animals or humans. There is a crane in the book that is depicted as helpful to the children as they were running away from the hungry giant.

3. Are the pictures of faces, clothing and housing stereotypical of Natives in general?
Yes, the faces of the Yup'ik children are stereotypical of Natives in general. Each character's emotions look identical, depending on the situation of the moment. However, the girl's qaspeqs have different colorful designs, which is the norm. The boy's qaspeqs are plain and have no trimming, which is also the norm for boy's style.

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 author mentioned that this is a Yup'ik version of several throughout Alaska and Canada. This version was from Olinka Michael, a master storyteller in the village of Kwethluk, AK. Olinka's daughter, Lillian Michael, wrote it down in Yup'ik, and the author retold it in English for a wider audience.

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?
The author, Teri Sloat, did a good job of retelling this Yup'ik folklore in English. She did not attempt to "sound" Yup'ik as the story flowed through the plot, problem, and resolution. In addition to entertainment, the consequence of breaking a code of behavior, in this case, not listening to parents, was brought out in the story in a way that is easily comprehended by young readers, and could learn a lesson from (minus the hungry giant), but in other situations that could be avoided had they listened to their parent's warnings.

6. Is the information accurate on the life and language on the people, with accurate phonetic spellings?
There is only one Yup'ik name, A-ka-gua-gan-kak, that is phonetically misspelled. It should be spelled A-ka-gua-gaan-kaaq, as it is traditionally pronounced. The retelling of the Yup'ik version of this story is accurate.

7. If it is a history book, does it tell how it really was for the People without any lies?
It is not a history book, but a retelling of a Yup'ik folktale, and does not contain any lies of this particular version.

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?
As mentioned earlier, the author stated that this is a Yup'ik version of several throughout Alaska and Canada. Although this version was from Olinka Michael who is now deceased, Olinka's daughter, Lillian Michael, wrote it down in Yup'ik, and the author retold it in English. Teri Sloat did not mention in the preface that she obtained permission from Lillian Michael to write the story, although she did mention that she had worked with Lillian in Bethel, Alaska.

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

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