Alaska Native Knowledge Network
Resources for compiling and exchanging information related to Alaska Native knowledge systems and ways of knowing.

ANKN Home About ANKN ANKN Publications Academic Programs Curriculum Resources Calendar of Events ANKN Listserv and Announcements ANKN Site Index

You are here

 

Kumak's Fish

:

Review by Bernice B. Tetpon
Name of Book: Kumak's Fish Author: Michael Bania
Illustrator: Michael Bania Year Published: 2004
Publisher: Alaska Northwest Books ISBN #: 0-88240-583-7
Recommended Grade Level: Age 4 and Up Genre: Humor - written purposely to make the reader laugh! (Joke Books)



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)? Kumak has a large nose. His wife and children are drawn with slits for eyes. All the village people have huge noses and slits for eyes. The book was printed in Hong Kong - could this be the reason for the slits for eyes?

Are the clothing styles, homes accurate for the culture the book represents? Only one illustration shows mukluks with mukluk straps, the rest of the illustrations do not show mukluks with strings or laces. Only one pair of mukluks has the geometric calve skin design towards the end of the book. The cloth covers for the parkas are very plain. The geometric designs of rick rack are not on the parkas. Only one house is illustrated - the one that Kumak and his family are looking out of the window. It is quite modern with green paint and picture size windows.

Is the illustrator Native American? No, Michael Bania lives on the Kenai Peninsula. She lived in the Arctic for twenty years.


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? English is very well written with repetitive sentences for reading sight words.

Are the words used engaging the student's interest and attention?
Yes.

Are the characters name's respectful of the culture? Kumak is not a respectful name for an Inupiaq - it means lice. Aglu is the only other character named in the story - aglu means the runner shoe on a dog sled. I don't know if this would be a respectful name or not. Kumak's family is not named - his wife is "wife" and his children are "son" and "daughters." It would be respectful if the family members had names also.

Is the interaction in the book using vocabulary that shows respect between the characters?
Yes, it is respectful.


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, the author is also the illustrator.

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

Are Elders represented in the story? Uncle Aglu and Aana - Kumak's mother-in-law.

How is the book portraying the knowledge of our Elders? The ability for Uncle Aglu to carve the amazing hooking stick.

Is this story a retelling of a traditional Native story? This is a tall tale - written by the author.

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.

Is the Native person in the story portrayed as a respectful, strong person? Yes.

Did the story give you an understanding of the culture the story represents? No.

Would you, being representative of the culture presented in the story, be proud to read this story to the public? No. All the characters do not have names. Its parallel to taking pictures of Inupiat people without putting their names in the caption.

How did you feel after reading this book? I feel that I did not learn anything about the Inupiat culture. The people are not identified as Inupiat.

Would you recommend this book to be used by your school district? No.

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? It could be aligned but I would not recommend this book be placed in the library because it is not authentic.


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.


» HAIL Book Reviews

Go to University of Alaska The University of Alaska Fairbanks is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity employer, educational institution and provider is a part of the University of Alaska system. Learn more about UA's notice of nondiscriminitation.