November 1, 2014
Gr 4-6-This magnificent story begins with Toozak, a Yup'ik Eskimo boy in Alaska, staring at a whaling ship with a red, white, and blue flag. When Toozak unknowingly leads the Yankee ships to the whales' feeding grounds, the animals are slaughtered. For this, the village shaman declares Toozak's family cursed until one of them can save the life of Siku, a young ice whale or the whale saves them. The late George is wondrous when writing about the natural world, and narrator Christina Moore captures the emotional story in a strong, lyrical and imaginative way-told in two voices, whale and human. Moore's distinctive narrative style helps capture the primal link humans share with nature. Expressive, thrilling, and, at times, sad, this is an exhilarating audiobook highlighting the interconnectedness of the Alaskan Native culture and the inhabitants of the Beaufort Sea. Real recordings of bowhead whales are used to render the whale speech, and it is delightful to hear actual whale clicks, whistles, and calls throughout the book.-Jennifer Mann, Cromaine District Library, Hartland, MI
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Starred review from May 5, 2014
George returns to the northern Alaska setting of her Newbery-winning Julie of the Wolves in this expansive story, which the author's children, Twig George and Craig George, completed after her 2012 death. Spanning two centuriesâfrom 1848 to 2048âthe novel interlaces the stories and perspectives of a family of Yankee whaling captains; generations of an Yup'ik clan cursed after one of them inadvertently discloses the location of a pod of whales to greedy whalers; and Siku, a bowhead whale that shares a deep bond with the tribe. While the first narrative track sheds intriguing (and sobering) light on whaling strategies and history, the latter two are emotionally involving and expose the interconnectedness of humans and whales with eloquence and insight. In one of many hard-hitting moments, Siku's "grief was heard through the ocean" after he sees his mother killed by a harpoon. Jean Craighead George's knowledge of and talent for depicting the natural world are in full evidence in this immersive epic that combines themes of conservation and native mysticism. A powerful finale for the author and a fine tribute to her literary legacy. Ages 9â11.