Book Review by Marcia Abalama

Name of book: Kayuktuk An Arctic Quest Author: Brian Heinz

Illustrator: Jon Van Zyle Year Published: 1996

Publisher: Chronicle ISBN#: 0-8118-0411-9

Grade level: I recommend the grade level for this book from about 3^rd grade to about 6^th grade.

Genre: Male

Realistic fiction [X]-this story is from a non-Native perspective

Cultural Perspective:

Stories: oral [ ] Teaching stories [ ] Myth [ ] legend [ ]

Traditional Stories [ ] Someone else's stories [X] Parable [ ]

Summary: This story is about a young boy named Aknik, he is trying to become a hunter, but there is something that keeps eating the bait from his snares and he doesn't know what or who it is. It tells about how the other boys in the village make fun of him because he isn't a very good hunter. He wants to go hunting whales with his father but he has to prove himself first. Aknik finally finds out that it is a mother fox that is taking the bait from his trap; she is using the bait as food for her babies. Aknik finally proves himself to the people of his village and is allowed to hunt whales with his father and the other men.

Author Background: The author is not Alaska Native and it isn't known how much research was done before Brian Heinz wrote this book. He was removed from the culture he was writing about.

Illustrator's Background: The illustrator Jon Van Zyle is not Alaska Native, and even though he has spent much time in Alaska, he mixed the cultures. The book had nice coloring but the housing was that of Native American, the Natives from that area lived in houses more rounded because of the weather. The clothing didn't look like they were made of animal skins they looked more like robes.

Vocabulary: Need to be careful of using the right Native words and language.

Content: This was a story about a young Inupiat boy who proved himself to be a hunter. But the author mixed up the cultures plus there were some parts of the story that was not culturally correct. It does have a glossary in the back of the book with the works and their spellings. This isn't a story that would be passed down to the next generation due to the crossing of the cultures. The ceremony wasn't correct either-celebrations are usually after the hunt of whales not before. No drums and dancing before hunting.

Recommendation:

I would not recommend this book because it is not culturally correct. The clothing, houses, and it talks about how this young boy isn't allowed to hunt because he hasn't proven himself as a hunter-Most Native cultures encourage their young boys to hunt, not having to prove themselves first. There is also a celebration and usually the celebrations come after the success of the whale hunt.

What area of Alaska does this story take place? This story takes place in northwestern Alaska.

Over all Rating of this book:

Rated between: 1-10

1: Not good at all [X] 5: Okay: [ ] 10: Very good [ ]