Astrid Arijanto
Astrid Arijanto is a designer and illustrator living in Toronto, Ontario. Her design and illustration work have appeared in various media and publications across Canada and Asia. She spends a lot of time working on her drawing tablet, but in her free time enjoys exploring other cultures and the great outdoors with her partner and chasing after their wild and rambunctious puppy, Spanky.
Kids Books (4)
Synopsis:
Nilak has a lot of fun during the Arctic winter!
Nilak, a young polar bear, has fun sliding down hills and playing games on the sea ice, such as pretending to be an Arctic explorer or a tuniq from long ago!
Educator 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 7 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 E.
Curriculum Connections: Language and literacy; Diversity; Indigenous perspectives; Environmental awareness; History; Heritage.
Recommended for ages 4-6.
Additional Information
16 pages | 8.00" x 8.00"
Synopsis:
Putuguq and Kublu are a sister and brother who cannot get along. They love to pull pranks and one-up each other every chance they get! When one of Putuguq's pranks does not go as planned, the feuding siblings find themselves on the land with their grandfather, learning a bit about Inuit history, between throwing snowballs, that is.
Reviews
“An emotionally and spiritually warming visit to the Arctic.” — Kirkus Reviews
“Endnotes about inuksuit and the vanished Tuniit/Dorset people round out an entertaining story of sibling one-upmanship.” — Publisher’s Weekly
“. . . [A] fun romp across the tundra that will spark discussions about the Arctic, the Inuit and getting along with your siblings.” — CanLit for Little Canadians
Educator Information
This book is part of the Putuguq & Kublu series.
Recommended ages 5+
Additional Information
40 pages | 6.00" x 8.00" | Fully illustrated graphic novel
Synopsis:
In each new adventure, Putuguq and Kublu learn about an element of Inuit mythology from their Elders, sometimes using what they learn to get the best of each other!
Putuguq and Kublu are at their grandparents’ house for lunch—caribou stew, Putuguq’s favourite! Putuguq’s worn out (and stinky!) kamiik remind his grandparents of the story of the amautalik and the orphan, a traditional Inuit story about a little orphan who outsmarts a child-stealing ogress. Grandmother’s storytelling over lunch starts Putuguq’s imagination running wild . . .
After lunch, Putuguq and Kublu decide to play a game of hide-and-seek. But, for Putuguq, this is no ordinary game. The house is full of strange noises, and what is that hulking figure? Could an amautalik really be stalking him inside his grandparents’ house? Putuguq is about to find out!
Educator & Series Information
Recommended for ages 6 to 8.
This book is part of the Putuguq & Kublu series.
Additional Information
40 pages | 6.00" x 8.00" | Paperback
Synopsis:
What creatures lurk beneath the sea ice? Putuguq and Kublu – two siblings who can’t seem to get along- are about to find out! On their way to the shoreline, Putuguq and Kublu run into their grandfather, who has a stern warning for the pair: always beware when playing on the shore, because you never know if a qalupalik, a mythical creature that snatches children, is lying in wait under the ice. Kublu is pretty sure their grandfather is just trying to spook them with a scary story from the past….but maybe not?
Reviews
"More playful than scary, Putuguq & Kublu and the Qalupalik! succeeds in teaching about contemporary Indigenous culture in a non-didactic, humorous way. As a supplementary text, it will easily align to curricula while helping children build their literacy skills. With brightly coloured illustrations and engaging dialogue, it’s one of those books that is highly informational without revealing as much to its young readers."
"This graphic novel for beginners has just the right balance of mischief, excitement, and danger, with enough humor to keep things light. Bright colors, clean lines, and larger panels make for inviting, uncluttered reading. Set in a small town in Nunavut, Canada, this story centers Inuit culture in all aspects but never feels forced or didactic. Rather, readers will get a glimpse into contemporary Indigenous lives that are both different and very much like their own."
Educator & Series Information
This book is part of the Putuguq & Kublu series.
Recommended for ages 5+
Additional Information
32 pages | 6.00" x 8.00"
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and core of the Pacific Northwest Coast peoples—the Cedar Tree, known as the Tree of Life. We are
here to support the building of strong nations and help share Indigenous voices.
