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A Sled Dog for Moshi

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Review by Bernice B. Tetpon
Name of Book: A Sled Dog for Moshi Author: Jeanne Bushey
Illustrator: Germaine Arnaktauyok Year Published: 1994
Publisher: Hyperion Books for Children ISBN #: 1-56282-631-X
Recommended Grade Level: Ages 4-8 Genre: Fiction


ILLUSTRATIONS: Children from birth to three-year-old recognize specific books by their cover; label objects in books; and comment on characters in books. Five-year-olds increasingly begin to look at pictures page-by-page as if reading silently before they begin to "read to" another aloud. Some children attend to pictures as the source of the text (1998, National Research Council, Preventing Reading Difficulties in Young Children).

Do the illustrations show all Native people looking alike or are the illustrations of people respectful (e.g., is the artwork characterizing people as childlike, out of proportion)? The book is colorful and beautifully illustrated. The boot designs are drawn in detail in the Inuit style.

Are the clothing styles, homes accurate for the culture the book represents? Yes the kamiks and parkas are drawn in great detail.
Is the illustrator Native American? Yes, Inuit artist Germaine Arnaktauyok is a Native of Igloolik on Baffin Island, Canada. She has illustrated children's books, in both the English and Inuit languages. Germaine has had exhibitions of her art in Chicago, Montreal, San Francisco and Seattle.


VOCABULARY: Well-written and engaging texts that include words that children can decipher give them the chance to apply emerging skills with ease and accuracy, thereby teaching themselves new words through their relation to known words (1998, National Research Council, Preventing Reading Difficulties in Young Children).

Are the characters using correct English or correct cultural language or interaction? Yes, the English usage is excellent. There is also an Inuit glossary near the end of the book.

Are the words used engaging the student's interest and attention? Yes, this is a very good story of two girls - one Inuk and one non-Native - who survive a sudden snow storm in the month of May in Iqaluit. Iqaluit, which means a place with many fish is the Capital City of Nunavut and is the place where this story takes place. The two girls are picking arctic cotton flowers when the weather changes and they take shelter. It is engaging for ages 4-8.

Are the characters name's respectful of the culture? Yes, Moshi wants a dog like her friend Jessica has but understands that dogs are work animals and not pets in the Arctic. Moshi is not an Inuit name as far as my research into the name went. Moshi-moishi in Japanese means hello so I am not sure where this name came from.

Is the interaction in the book using vocabulary that shows respect between the characters? Yes, this book would be a good example for Native and non-Native children to read together and see the example of two cultures playing and sharing a crisis in their lives together.

CONTENT: During book sharing with an adult, children progress from just focusing on the names of objects in the pictures to asking questions of the content in the text. Throughout the preschool period and well into adulthood individuals learn the pragmatics of their language, that is, how to use language appropriately and effectively in a social context (1998, National Research Council, Preventing Reading Difficulties in Young Children).

Is the author Native American? No, like many non-Native authors, Jeanne Bushey was a teacher for many years in Iqaluit, the village on Canada's Baffin Island that is the setting for this book. She was also a devoted student of the Inuit language and culture.

What value or belief is taught in this story? Sharing.

Are Elders represented in the story? No

How is the book portraying the knowledge of our Elders? No.

Is this story a retelling of a traditional Native story? No.

Is the person who originally told the story identified? No.

Is the person who originally told the story given credit as a co-author? No.

Is there written permission by the original author to have the story published? No, there is no need.

Is the Native person in the story portrayed as a respectful, strong person? Yes, Moshi's father is represented as a person who went out in the blizzard to find the two girls and in the end decided that Moshi needed a dog as a pet after all.

Did the story give you an understanding of the culture the story represents? It is not really deep knowledge but enough for a child 4-8 years of age.

Would you, being representative of the culture presented in the story, be proud to read this story to the public? I would not hesitate to read this book to my grandchildren.

How did you feel after reading this book? I thought that it is wonderful when two people who know a lot about a culture get together on a story with the writing and illustrations matching the story, it really makes a beautiful book.

Would you recommend this book to be used by your school district? Yes.

Would you recommend that if approved by the school board to have the author align the story to the Alaska Standards for Culturally Responsive Schools prior to being placed in the schools? Yes, the activities in the story can be aligned to the cultural standards.



I developed this checklist based on the "Unlearning" Indian Stereotype: Council on Interracial books for Children, 1841 Broadway, New York, NY 10023 and Through Indian Eyes: The Native Experience in Books for Children. I have also included some of my own questions.

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