Maika Harper

Joanasie loves to live in Kinngait, Nunavut. His community may be small, but it is never boring!

Kinngait is a small community with lots to do throughout the year. Joanasie rides his bike in the summer and has snowball fights under the northern lights in the winter. And don't forget about Kinngait Studios, home of the talented artists that make Kinngait the "Capital of Inuit Art." Join Joanasie as he explains why Kinngait is a great place to live in this bilingual picture book.

Reviews
"Written by Inuit author and actress Maika Harper—best known for her role on the television series Mohawk Girls—the story reflects Inuit identity with warmth and respectful representation. Though Harper was born in Iqaluit and does not write from her lived experience in Kinngait, her cultural connection lends authenticity to the broader Inuit perspective depicted. Recommended for readers interested in northern communities, Indigenous identity, and contemporary Inuit storytelling." - Anika L., Middle School Teacher, Indigenous Books for Schools

Educator & Series Information
Recommended for ages 3 to 5.

Dual-language: English and Inuktitut

This book is part of the Community Connections series.

I Love to Live in Kinngait teaches readers about the community dubbed the “Capital of Inuit Art.” 

Additional Information
21 pages | 8.00" x 9.00" | Paperback

Based on an ancient Inuit traditional story, this beautifully illustrated picture book tells of the appearance of the first humans on earth, and how from them all the peoples of the earth emerged. From a mound of simple dirt, through magic and intention, the world we know today slowly takes shape across the page.

Retold with loving care by Inuit author and actress Maika Harper, The First Peoples is both mythical and magical, an ancient tale brought to life for new generations.

Educator Information
Recommended for ages 6 to 8.

Additional Information
24 pages | 8.50" x 9.50" | Hardcover 

When the earth was new, words had the power to breathe life into the world. But when creating animals from breath, sometimes one does not get everything right on the first try! 

Based on a traditional Inuit story passed forward orally for generations in the South Baffin region of Nunavut, this book shares with young readers the origin of the caribou and the walrus—and tells of how these animals looked very different when they were first conceived.

Educator Information
Recommended for ages 5 to 7.

Included in the Canadian Indigenous Books for Schools 2020/2021 resource list for grades 1 to 3 for English Language Arts, Science, and Social Studies.

Additional Information
32 pages | 9.50" x 9.50"