Charlene Chua

When Akilak must travel a great distance to another camp to gather food, she thinks she will never be able to make it. With a little help from her grandmother’s spirit, and her own imagination to keep her entertained, Akilak manages to turn a long journey into an adventure. Even though she at first feels that she will never be able to reach her destination, she keeps her grandmother’s assurance that her “destination is not running away; it will be reached eventually” in mind and ends up enjoying the journey that at first seemed so daunting.

Reviews

“Akilak’s Adventure is a worthy addition to school and public library collections.” — CM Magazine

“An engaging and recommended read-aloud for all collections.” — School Library Journal

“Akilak’s Adventure has timeless teachings about responsibility and the importance of imagination to make it a worthwhile read now and always.” — CanLit for Little Canadians

Additional Information
32 pages | 9.00" x 7.00"

When Elisapee’s father brings home a baby seagull, Elisapee falls in love with the bird right away. She feeds and cares for her new friend, named Nau, and even helps Nau learn how to fly! Nau grows, and grows, and grows some more, until she’s big enough to fly all over town and play with the other seagulls. Soon, it seems like Nau is ready to leave home for good, and Elisapee has to learn how to say goodbye. Based on the author’s childhood experience, this charming story about learning to care for animals will delight young readers.

Reviews
"Stories like Elisapee and Her Baby Seagull, which feature Inuit characters and communities in contemporary settings, allow young Inuit readers to see their own peers and neighborhoods represented in children’s books. They also allow young Canadians from other provinces to experience a vibrant part of our country that they might otherwise never be introduced to." - The Book Wars

Additional Information
40 pages | 8.75" x 8.75"

"My sister and I were excited for a visit with our favourite elder, and we were hoping to convince her to take us out for an adventure!"

Adventure begins when Grandma takes her two grandchildren out for a trip to the lake. After showing the kids how to prepare for a fishing trip, Grandma and the kids enjoy a day of jigging in the ice for fish. Grandma shows them every step they need to know to complete a successful fishing trip, from what clothes to wear, to how to drill and clear holes in the ice, to how to make a traditional Inuit jigging rod. By the end of the day, the kids have a yummy meal of Arctic char, and they have also learned everything they need to know to go out on the lake on their own.

Reviews
“Fishing with Grandma, which offers an engaging tale of two grandchildren and their grandma on an Arctic adventure, is ideal for primary grades.”  — CM Magazine

“Readers learn about the traditional tools of the trade through prose peppered with Inuktitut and also take away a sweet message of caring for our elders, as the youngsters share their yummy Arctic char with those who can no longer jig for themselves.” — Hakai Magazine

Educator Information
Find the French translation of this book here: À la peche avec grand-maman

Additional Information
32 pages | 8.00" x 9.00"

Nivi has always known that her names were special, but she does not know where they came from. So, one sunny afternoon, Nivi decides to ask her mom how she got her names. The stories of the people Nivi is named after lead her to an understanding of traditional Inuit naming practices and knowledge of what those practices mean to Inuit.

How Nivi Got Her Names is an easy-to-understand introduction to traditional Inuit naming, with a story that touches on Inuit custom adoption.

Review
"Charlene Chua's gentle illustrations help to unify the concepts in the story quite clearly. The reader is able to grasp the concepts of Nivi's ancestry by viewing the photographs in the story of loving, smiling and welcoming namesakes of both Nova Scotian and Inuit relatives. I particularly like the illustrations that depict Nivi's namesakes surrounding her in circles of love and family. The messages of love, respect and identity are important ones and ultimately make How Nivi Got Her Names relatable to all children. It can be read as both a story and an information book, and it could be used effectively in classrooms to teach concepts of heritage, community, history and family." — CM Magazine

Additional Information
36 pages | 8.50" x 8.50"

Find out what Lena does on her busy day!

Follow Lena as she goes to school, plays with her friends, and spends time with her family. She learns important lessons about being responsible, honest, and respectful.

Educator & Series Information
This book is part of the Nunavummi Reading Series, a Nunavut-developed series that supports literacy learning while teaching readers about the people, traditions, and environment of the Canadian Arctic. It is a Level 12 book in the series.

Nunavummi Reading Series books have also been officially leveled using the Fountas & Pinnell Text Level Gradient™ Levelling System. F&P Level of this book: N.

Recommended for ages 7 to 9.

Additional Information
36 pages | 7.00" x 8.50" | Paperback

A joyful picture book about confidence featuring a little girl making her mark on the world, from acclaimed author Thomas King.

Lala wakes up one morning and decides that she owns the world. Quick as a fox, she bounds to her box of treasures and finds her shiny red dots — to mark what is hers, because there's nothing that's not!

Lala's bear gets a dot, as does her blankie, boots, and even the markers she uses to make scrawls on her walls. When she finishes labeling everything in her room and goes to label her dad-daddy’s socks, Lala realizes that she’s out of dots! But when Lala discovers that she can simply create her own red dots, will anything be safe from Lala?

Join rambunctious Lala on her quest to own the world in this joyful picture book that celebrates confidence and positive thinking.

Educator Information
Recommended for ages 3 to 7.

Additional Information
40 pages | 10.00" x 10.00" | Hardcover

There is a fashion show at Sapa and Martha's school! Sapa and Martha want to make something special to display at the show. Martha suggests they make an amaut, just like the one her biological mother, Paula, wore when Martha was a baby. As they work on the amaut, Sapa and Martha's friendship grows stronger as they learn more about each other and their families.

Educator & Series Information
This book is part of the Nunavummi Reading Series, a Nunavut-developed series that supports literacy learning while teaching readers about the people, traditions, and environment of the Canadian Arctic.  It is a Level 13 book in the series. 

Nunavummi Reading Series books have also been officially levelled using the Fountas & Pinnell Text Level Gradient™ Levelling System. This book's F&P Level is P.

Curriculum Connections: Diversity and Indigenous Perspectives

Recommended for ages 7 to 9.

Additional Information
40 pages | 8.00" x 8.00"

Susan and her sister, Rebecca, love watching their mother write letters to people in other camps. Their mother has one precious pencil, and she keeps it safe in her box for special things. One afternoon, their mother leaves the iglu to help a neighbour, and Susan, Rebecca, and their brother Peter are left with their father. They play all their regular games but are soon out of things to do—until their father brings out the pencil! As Susan draws and draws, the pencil grows shorter and shorter. What will their mother think when she comes home? Based on author Susan Avingaq’s childhood memories of growing up in an iglu, this charming story introduces young readers to the idea of using things wisely.

Reviews
[A] wonderful and touching story about resilience and thrift and community. The illustrations are appropriately done in pencil, and they are playful and open and beautiful." — The New York Times Book Review

"[A] rich and moving story about how small things can make a tremendous difference in children’s lives...Avingaq’s childhood is beautifully evoked in this charming story about the need to take care of our belongings." — The Globe and Mail

"Authors Avingaq and Vsetula understand life in Nunavut, Canada, and embed in the story the importance of being responsible for belongings and caring for them wisely...A breath of warmth from the far north." — Kirkus Reviews

"A family-focused story with a light moral that lovingly illuminates a lifestyle rarely seen in children’s books." — School Library Journal

"The Pencil goes beyond a lesson in frugality and becomes a story of family, of play and of culture, which many children will appreciate." — CanLit for Little Canadians

Educator Information
Recommended for ages 6 to 8.

Additional Information
36 pages | 9.00" x 7.50" | Paperback

TJ is bored of playing the same old games with his friends. When a new girl named Sapa moves to his community, he finally has a friend who shares his interests!

TJ and Sapa spend all summer playing out and exploring their community. When school starts in the fall, TJ’s classmates tease Sapa for being different. Will TJ stand up for his new friend?

Educator & Series Information
This book is part of the Nunavummi Reading Series, a Nunavut-developed series that supports literacy learning while teaching readers about the people, traditions, and environment of the Canadian Arctic. It is a Level 14 book in the series.

Nunavummi Reading Series books have also been officially levelled using the Fountas & Pinnell Text Level Gradient™ Levelling System. F&P Level of this book: O.

This book is also part of the Social Emotional Learning Series from Nunavummi. These books feature thoughtful, engaging stories that teach school-aged children to identify and regulate their emotions in healthy ways.

Curriculum Connections: Language and Literacy; Identity; Self-Image

Recommended for ages 7 to 9.

Additional Information
36 pages | 5.90" x 8.90"